An Uchiha Warrior The Path to Redemption
by Chucky Ray
Summary: After Sasuke confesses his feelings to Sakura they both get married and have a daughter named Sasame (because I hate the name Sarada) Uchiha. Many years later she realizes that she starts having feelings for Boruto Uzumaki and Sasuke starts becoming a very protective papa. However, after he finds out about an evil plot, he and Naruto join forces to save his family.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One; Reunited

 _Alright so just a few quick things, for all of you that have favorited and followed me, yes I'm alive! I've just been very busy this summer. Still having writer's block for the Harry Snape story, (sorry) but I plan to be getting back to Jeannie and Doctor Who soon. Anyway, this is an idea that's been bouncing inside my head for a while now._

 _I'm not a hundred percent sure about Boruto's and Himawari's character since I just really got introduced to them, so forgive me if they seem a bit out of character but I'll try my best. As I wrote in the description, I HATE Sarada! I'm sorry for all of the Sarada fans out there but I created Sasame way before she was thought of and I'm sorry but I think Sasame's cuter. Her name was based off another character in the Naruto show Sasame Fuma, but it is pronounced Sauce-ooh-may in here instead of Sauce-a-may or however they pronounced it on the show since it's closer to Sasuke._

 _Anyway, I hope you enjoy it and please don't forget to review!_

Sakura rushed to her front door excitedly as the doorbell rang. "Sasuke!" she exclaimed but quickly found to her disappointment that Naruto was on the other side of the door. "Oh Naruto, it's just you." She said while she slowly hung her head in despair.

"Well it's good to see you too Sakura!" he grouched.

"Look, I'm sorry alright? It's just that I was expecting somebody else." She told him.

"I know! I know!" he hollered back at her. "I get it! Sasuke coming back today and you're really looking forward to seeing him again! I am too! But that doesn't mean that you should forget the fact that it's my wedding day." He told her.

"Uh,.. what?" she questioned him with uncertainty while she widened her eyes unexpectedly.

"Oh no, don't tell me that you've forgotten all about it. Come on Sakura, I've been excited about it for weeks!" he snapped.

"I know and I'm sorry Naruto. It's just that Sauske_" she began before he cut her off.

"I know that's all you ever think about! Sasuke Sasuke, Sasuke!" he hollered out of sheer annoyance.

"Hey! You're one to talk! Until he decided to come back the first time that's all you ever seemed to talk about as well!" she cried.

"Well yeah, but that was only because I made a promise to you that I would bring him back for you and unlike you I never break my promises!" he snapped before he quickly turned his back on her and folded his arms. Then he turned his nose up into the air. "Hmph!"

"Oh come on Naruto don't be like that. Just because I forgot that it was your wedding day, it isn't the same thing as actually missing it." She told him.

"No, but you would have if I hadn't reminded you of it." He pointed out sneaking a glance over at her before she heaved a deep and heavy sad sigh and hung her head.

"You know what, you're right. I'm sorry Naruto. I forgot that it just isn't a big day for you, it's also special for Hinata." She said.

"You've got that right! Hinata means the world to me and I definitely don't want to disappoint her." He said.

"I know." Sakura began giving him a slight nod. "Hinata's a lucky girl. She's been in love with you probably as long as I've been in love with Sasuke. The only difference is that I know you would never hurt her. I guess I was sort of wrong to turn you down without giving you a chance. You've really impressed me you know." She told him smiling warmly at him.

"Thanks Sakura, but you know, I wouldn't give up on Sasuke just yet. After all, I believe he's changed. You can make up for not giving me a chance, by giving him a second chance. Just listen to him and hear what he has to say before you make up your mind whether or not you want to dump him." He told her as she nodded again.

"Alright Naruto, thanks I will." She began. "Listen, you shouldn't keep Hinata waiting. I'll catch up with you later alright?" she inquired.

"Alright, see you later Sakura!" Naruto cried before he turned around and ran away while waving to her over his shoulder as Sakura smiled at him while she watched him.

 _"_ _You really are going to make a great hokage Naruto."_ She thought to herself.

 _…_

Sakura was busy making her way to the wedding ceremony when all of a sudden she heard a familiar voice behind her. "Hey Sakura!" she stopped dead in her tracks before quickly spinning around on her heels and saw her former sensei (and current hokage) Kakashi standing there.

"Oh." She began. "Hello Kakashi-sensei, I mean Lord Hokage." She said.

"What's the matter? You don't seem all that thrilled to see me." He said while she slowly started to hang her head again.

"No it isn't that. It's just that I thought you were someone else." She told him.

"Oh I see, that person wouldn't happen to be Sasuke would it?" he questioned her.

"How did you guess?" she asked him back even though she was pretty sure that she already knew the answer.

"Well, that's funny because Sasuke's right here with me." He told her before he stepped aside and allowed her to see that in fact Sasuke really was standing beside him. Sakura gasped and gaped her mouth wide open with astonishment while they both stared into one another's eyes. "Anyway, we better get to the wedding. Normally I don't believe that being punctual is all that important." He said.

"You can say that again." Sakura muttered under her breath.

"But in this case, I think that I'll make an exception. After all, it's a really big day for Naruto and Hinata." He said before he turned around and started walking away.

"Hi." Sasuke began.

"Hi." Sakura said quietly before slowly turning her head away from him.

"What's the matter? You don't look as happy as I thought you would be to see me. I told you that I would be back didn't I? I promised you that I would." He told her.

"I know." She began. "It's just that_" she said before Kakashi stopped and turned back around to look at them.

"Hey, are you two coming or what?" he asked them as Sasuke nodded.

"Hai. If I missed my own best friend's wedding, he never would let me hear the end of it." He said as Kakashi chuckled before Sasuke started following him. Sakura breathed another heavy sad sigh as she watched him go.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two; The Confession

"Sasuke! Sakura!" Naruto exclaimed excitedly before he started racing towards them.

"What does that make me then?" Kakashi began glancing over into his direction. "Chopped liver?" he wondered aloud before glancing back down at his book. Sasuke grinned as he saw Naruto coming his way.

"Hey Sasuke it's great to see you buddy!" Naruto cried while Sasuke continued grinning at him.

"I'd never thought I'd say this but I'm glad to see you too. I need to talk to you before the wedding. Do you mind?" he asked him.

"No, of course not." Naruto replied.

"Come on then, let's go." Sasuke told him before they both turned around and walked away together.

 _….._

"So what was it that you wanted to talk to me about?" Naruto asked while glancing over at Sasuke. Sasuke took a deep breath and a moment of silence before he responded.

"Sakura." He replied.

"Huh?" Naruto began widening his eyes with bewilderment. "Sakura? What about her?" he asked him loudly while his friend continued avoiding eye contact with him.

"Do you know if she's seeing anybody?" he wondered.

"Uh yeah right, this is Sakura that we're talking about. She's been obsessed with you long before we were even a team. Why? Do you like her or something?" Naruto asked him as Sasuke took another deep breath and sighed before he stopped walking and turned over to look at him. "You do? I thought you said that she was annoying." He said.

"That's because she is. She's _extremely_ annoying but so are you. That doesn't mean that I don't like you though, I mean you're my best friend and you never gave up on me no matter how many times I told you that you should." Sasuke told him.

"I don't believe this!" Naruto exclaimed before he busted out laughing. "You like Sakura Haruno!" he cried but Sasuke just simply narrowed his eyebrows and glared at him.

"If you don't shut up I'm going to kick your ass." He muttered angrily under his breath before Naruto finally stopped laughing and grew a nervous expression onto his face. Sasuke took another deep breath before he continued speaking. "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean that, it's just that even though I'm a good guy again I won't be able to completely change overnight." He explained.

"That's alright, I understand." Naruto began. "And I really didn't mean to laugh at you. It's just that you really caught me off guard. I didn't have any idea that you had a crush on Sakura." He said.

"Neither did I." Sasuke began. "But that was before_" he began before he slowly hung his head and the flashback started going through his mind. "she told me that she loved me before I used Genjutsu on her. I couldn't believe that she still had strong feelings for me even after I had tried to kill her so many times. I wasn't in my right state of mind then. I never meant to hurt her and make her cry." He admitted before he closed his eyes and then looked back up at Naruto.

"Of course you didn't." he reassured him.

"Do you think she'll ever really forgive me?" Sasuke asked him.

"I don't know." Naruto began with a shrug. "Instead of asking me about it, why don't you just ask her instead?" he questioned him.

"Look, you might not be all that aware of it but I'm not exactly good at talking to girls. I don't know what to say to her." He replied.

"So then why are you asking me!?" Naruto inquired loudly.

"Because you're getting married. What did you say to Hinata to make her understand how you felt about her?" Sasuke wondered.

"I just told her that I loved her and I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her." Naruto told him.

"Great! I'm pathetic when it comes to romance." Sasuke mumbled breathing a third heavy sigh.

"Listen Sasuke, if you really want Sakura to know how you feel about her then just don't think too much about it at all. Just let it come from inside you and feel it." Naruto told him.

"Alright. Thanks. I'll talk to her after the wedding ceremony." Sasuke told him with a grin in which Naruto exchanged it.

"No problem buddy, I'll always be there for you." He promised him before they both bumped each other's fists together and then went their separate ways.

 _….._

"Gosh Hinata, you look really beautiful." Sakura told her admiring her dress while Hinata looked down at the hem of it before back into the mirror.

"You really think so?" she questioned her back.

"Of course I do. You're going to make a beautiful bride." Sakura said with an enormous grin as Hinata smiled into their reflections.

"Thanks Sakura, I believe you will too someday." She told her before Kakashi entered the room.

"Alright ladies, the wedding is about to start so that means that Hinata has to take her place with her father." He told them as Sakura nodded.

"Alright I get the message, I'll go find Sasuke." She began before shouting good luck to Hinata over her shoulder and running out of the room. That's when she literally bumped into Sasuke with her head.

"Oh, I'm sorry." They chorused together loudly.

"I was just going to look for you. The wedding's about to start." Sakura began.

"I know. I was just about to do the same thing." Sasuke told her.

"How's Naruto doing?" she wondered.

"Well, basically he's a nervous wreck. What about Hinata?" he asked her.

"Same thing." She began. "But I guess you can't really blame them, I mean I probably would be too if it was my wedding day." She told him as he gazed deeply into her eyes. "Uh,.. Sasuke?" she questioned him.

"What?" he replied.

"You were staring at me." She told him.

"Was I? Sorry, I guess I just couldn't help myself." He told her.

"What? I don't understand." She said.

"You will. But right now we better find our spots." He told her before he started turning away from her. Sakura found herself suddenly left speechless and momentarily lost her ability to move. "Sakura come on." Sasuke said loudly before she finally shook herself out of her trance and ran after him.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three; The Kiss

Sasuke and Sakura found their spots next to one another and waited for the wedding to start. However, Sasuke couldn't help but sneak a few glances at Sakura when she wasn't looking. Thankfully she was too busy looking at Kakashi that she didn't realizing he was currently staring at her butt. Sakura growled angrily at the fact that Kakashi was still studying his copy of Icha Icha Paradise.

"What?" he questioned her innocently before glancing up at her.

"How dare you be disrespectful by reading that shit at Naruto's wedding!" she hollered.

"Calm down, I'm not actually going to read it during the ceremony." He reassured her.

"Good! You better not! Otherwise I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!" she exclaimed while shaking a fist at him.

"Threatening the hokage? Do you really think that that's wise considering your boyfriend already has black marks on his own record?" he inquired glancing over at Sasuke.

"Yeah right! As if Sasuke would be my boyfriend! He doesn't even like me!" she yelled before she turned her head over to look at him. Sasuke gasped and quickly turned his head away from her. "Sasuke?" she questioned him with uncertainty. "What's wrong?" she wondered.

"Nothing." He muttered before she reached a hand towards his.

"Come on Sasuke, you know that you can tell me anything." She told him soothingly as his eyes slowly met hers once again.

"Sakura, I,.. I have to tell you something." He began but before he got the chance to Hinata started walking down the aisle and Sasuke breathed a deep and heavy sigh. "Never mind. It can wait." He told her before they both turned around and started watching the ceremony taking place. Sakura quickly turned her head back around over at Kakashi and scowled clenching her fist again. Kakashi rolled his eyes before placing his book back inside his pocket.

"Hn." Sasuke said with a grin and a twinkle in his eye. Sakura widened her own eyes and raised her eyebrows as she stared at him.

 _"Huh? Is Sasuke actually flirting with me?"_ she wondered silently to herself.

 _.…._

Sakura hunched her body over the railing of the balcony to the building where Naruto was having his reception and heaved a deep and heavy sad sigh. She thought about Sasuke and how much she had still loved him even though he had been completely horrible to her and had never shown her any interest up till now. Meanwhile, Naruto was inside over by the refreshment table and cutting himself a piece of cake.

Sasuke took a deep breath and sighed as he started walking towards him. "You idiot." He began. "That's your sixth slice. You _could_ try saving some for other people you know." He told him.

"Oh really? What are you? My father?" Naruto questioned him before he took a bite. "What do you want anyway?" he wondered.

"Well first of all I just wanted to offer you and Hinata my congratulations. And second of all I wanted to know where Sakura was. I haven't seen her since the ceremony." He said.

"Oh, she's outside." Naruto began after he swallowed.

"Thank you." Sasuke began before he started to turn around and walk away.

"Wait Sasuke! Don't you want some more cake? There's plenty of it to go around you know." Naruto told him as Sasuke stopped and turned back over to look at him.

"No thanks. Maybe later. Right now there's something that I have to do." He replied before he turned back around and started walking towards the door. Sakura heaved another heavy sigh as Sasuke came up behind her. "There you are." He began as Sakura stood up and turned over to look at him. "Naruto told me that you were out here." He explained seeing her look of uttermost confusion.

"Oh. Hey Sasuke." She replied sadly before she turned around again.

"What's wrong?" he asked her. "Do you still think that I don't care about you?" he wondered as she slowly hung her head. "Listen, I don't blame you if you're upset. You have every right to hate me. After all, I'm sure a lot of people do. I know that I am one of them." He told her before to his complete astonishment and bewilderment she broke into tears.

"I don't understand! So much has happened between us, and you just act like everything is still the same! Just like when we were still a team!" she sobbed.

"No." he began as she quickly gasped and lifted her head to look back over at him with tears streaming down her cheeks. "Things are not the same, and they never will be again. Thanks to Naruto, things can be better than they were before." He told her.

"What? How can you say that!? How can things be better when I know for a fact that you tried to hurt me!? You could very well try to do it again!? And how do I know that you won't!?" she yelled.

"You really are annoying." He began before he took a deep breath. "The only reason why I tried to hurt you is because I was trying to make myself become stronger and you stood in my way,.. because you are my one true weakness." He told her as she gasped again while tears continued pouring down her cheeks and hitting the ground.

"I still don't understand, what are you trying to say Sasuke?" she asked him as he quickly bit his lip before a moment of silence fell between them.

"You still don't get it do you?" he questioned her back before he reached two of his fingers forward and tapped her forehead. "This was Itachi's way of showing affection towards me." He told her.

"You mean, that all this time you've been trying to tell me that you've finally fallen in love with me? That's what that was for?" she questioned him with bewilderment widening her eyes even more and staring at him while he stared back at her. "I thought you said that we have no reason to love each other." She said.

"That's right, I did. And I _shouldn't_ have any reason to. However, you've always stuck by me longer than I ever could remember even though I didn't deserve it. You and Naruto were the greatest friends that I could ever ask for. However, everything's changed now. I'm sorry through all the pain that I put you through. If you promise to give me another chance, I promise that I will _never_ let you get in harm's way again." He assured her.

"Sasuke I_" she began but before she could finish her sentence Sasuke placed a tender hand to her cheek and rubbed away her tears with his thumb before he tucked strands of her hair behind her ear and then tilted her chin up towards him. They both closed their eyes as their lips met for the very first time.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four; A Team Once Again

 _Just a quick note; Sasuke decided to have a prosthetic arm in this alternate universe. Anyway, thanks for views, favorites, and follows! Here's the next chapter!_

As Sakura deepened the kiss Naruto started strolling around the corner. "Hey Sasuke, I was wondering if,.." he began before he stopped and turned around to see them kissing. "Oops,.. bad timing." He said with a little chuckle before he slowly backed away. A few moments later Sasuke broke the kiss and he and Sakura turned their heads over to look at him.

"Alright, you can come out now." Sasuke told him as Naruto started walking towards them again.

"Hey!" Sakura snapped. "What's going on here!? This isn't a peepshow how much did you see!?" she hollered as he chuckled again.

"Oh, not much. Just a bunch of lip action that's all." He told her with a sly grin as Sasuke rolled his eyes at him.

"What do you want?" he groaned.

"Oh, I was just wondering if Sakura wanted any cake." Naruto replied as Sasuke rolled his eyes again.

"Can't you think about anything besides your stomach?" he questioned him before he took a deep breath and sighed heavily. "Well come on Sakura, if you do want something to eat I suggest that we go back inside before Naruto ends up eating everything before you have the chance to." He said as he turned over to look at her and then took ahold of her hand interlacing his fingers with hers.

"So let me get this straight, you two really are a couple now right?" Naruto questioned him.

"Yeah! What of it!?" Sakura hollered before Naruto waved his hands at her.

"Take it easy Sakura! I just wanted to tell you that I'm really happy for you that's all. Honest! I'm a married man now and I don't have any more romantic interest in you whatsoever." He assured her as Sakura smiled at him.

"Oh, thanks. Sorry about that." She apologized.

"That's alright. C'mon, let's go." Naruto told her before all three of them started heading back inside.

 _…_

Later on that night Sasuke decided to walk Sakura home. "Thanks for walking me home Sasuke." She told him.

"Don't mention it, it was no problem at all." He told her before they stopped walking and turned back towards each other.

"I'm just sorry that it had to end. Cause now that Naruto's wedding is over, you're probably going to leave again." She said before glancing down at the ground as Sasuke raised his eyebrows.

"What makes you say that?" he wondered.

"You mean that you're staying?" she inquired as he grinned back at her.

"Maybe, but only if I have a reason to." He told her with a smirk.

"And _do_ you have a reason to?" she wondered.

"Hn." He began with a grin before placing a tender hand to her cheek and gazing into her eyes. "What do you think?" he asked her before placing a quick and tender kiss on top of her lips.

"I'm glad you're staying Sasuke." She told him smiling back at him.

"Me too." He replied.

"Uh Sasuke?" she questioned him.

"What?" he asked her back.

"Nothing. I just wanted to tell you that I love you and I've always had." She told him anxiously anticipating his answer.

"I know. You didn't need to tell me that." He replied.

"Oh." She began sadly before glancing back down at the ground. "Is that all you're going to say?" she asked him.

"Does it really need saying?" he wondered.

"No. Of course not. How foolish of me, just forget about it." She told him.

 _"Even though I've been dying to hear you say it since like forever!"_ her inner Sakura hollered. That's when Sasuke cupped her cheek and kissed her again.

"I love you." He told her taking her completely off guard.

"What?" she questioned him with bewilderment while widening her eyes at him.

"That _is_ what you wanted me to say isn't it?" he asked her.

"Yes, but I thought_" she began.

"Look, I said that I didn't think that it _needed_ saying because I would have thought that you were smart enough to figure it out by now. But, I knew that it would make you happy so I decided to say it anyway because I never want to make you cry again." He explained.

"Oh. Well I guess then we should probably say goodnight." She said.

"Goodnight." He told her as they closed their eyes and moved their lips towards each other's to kiss for a third and final time. However that's when suddenly they heard an alarm going off in the distance. Sakura gasped and quickly opened her eyes again.

"Sasuke, what is that?" she questioned him with uncertainty.

"I'm not sure, but you better get inside where it's safe. I'll be alright." He told her before kissing her for a final time. "I love you." He told her again before he ran away.

"Wait Sasuke!" Sakura hollered after him but it was already too late.

 _"Grr! I finally got Sasuke_ _to tell me that he loved me and now he just takes off!? Well that isn't going to fly with me!"_ her inner voice said while pounding her fists together before she ran off after him. That's when all of a sudden she ran into Naruto. "Hey Naruto have you seen Sasuke?" she questioned him while he simply just shook his head and continued breathing heavily.

"No. You haven't seen Hinata have you? I can't find her anywhere!" he cried frantically.

"Look just calm down, we'll find her. I'm sure that Sasuke will be alright on his own and that he can take care of himself." She said.

"I know that but I don't think he would be too happy if he finds out that I allowed you to put yourself in harm's way. He'd probably Chidori my ass." He told her.

"Look Naruto, I really don't have time to stand here and argue with you. We've got to find Hinata." She told him as he reluctantly agreed with a nod fearing for his wife's safety. That's when all of a sudden they turned around and ran smack dab into Karin.

"So, we meet again." She began. "I'm sorry about this Sakura I really am but I don't have time to chat. I've been sent here to take you back with me by Lord Orochimaru." She told her.

"I don't think so! You're not taking her anywhere!" Naruto shouted on the top of his lungs. "And where's Hinata!?" he screamed.

"Hinata?" Karin questioned him with uncertainty. "Who's Hinata?"

"She's my wife, and I want to know what the hell you've done to her!" Naruto roared.

"I don't know anything about Hinata," Karin began. "I just know that Lord Orochimaru's business is with Sakura." She told him before she grabbed ahold of her wrist.

"Oh yeah!? Well we'll just see about that! You can tell him to drop dead_ again!" Sakura hollered before she thrusted her other fist into Karin's chin and sent her flying up into the air. "Come on Naruto, let's go!" she cried before they both turned around and started running away.

"Hold on! I want to know what the fuck is going on here!" Naruto hollered.

"I'm not sure, but right now I'm more worried about Hinata." Sakura replied glancing over at him.

"Me too. You have no idea how worried I am about her. I love her more than you could ever possibly imagine." He said when all of a sudden they skidded to a stop in front of Sasuke.

"Hinata's gone." He began as Sakura raised her eyebrows.

"Gone? What do you mean she's gone?" she asked him.

"She was kidnapped by the Akatsuki. Kakashi tried to stop it but in the end, one of the members stuck one of their blades through his chest." He replied as Sakura widened her eyes at him with complete and utter astonishment and bewilderment.

"You mean that Kakashi Hatake is dead?" she questioned him with uncertainty.

"Yes, I'm afraid so. I saw the whole thing." Sasuke replied.

"So then why didn't you try and stop it!" Naruto shrieked.

"I did. But Kakashi wouldn't let me. He knew how much I loved Sakura and that I needed to protect her so there was no use in risking my life for him." Sasuke told him before turning his head and looking back over at his girlfriend. "Speaking of which what are you doing here? I thought I told you to go home." He said.

"I'm sorry Sasuke, but I just couldn't stand the thought of you taking off like that. I already lost you once and I couldn't stand the thought of having to go through it again. But that doesn't really matter now because we've got to do something to get Hinata back." She told him.

"No. _We're_ not going to do anything. You're going to go home and Naruto and I will go searching for Hinata." He told her firmly.

"Listen Sasuke, Hinata's my friend and even though it's in a different way, I care about her just as much as Naruto does. I'm coming with you whether you like it or not." She told him before he took a deep breath and sighed.

"Fine. But you've got to promise me that you'll do whatever I say. I can't stand the thought of you getting hurt again." He told her.

"Don't worry Sasuke, we'll both be there to look out for her! I won't let anything happen to her, believe it!" Naruto exclaimed excitedly with a grin and pointed his thumb up towards the sky before giggling about it. Sasuke just simply groaned and rolled his eyes. "What?" he questioned him.

"I just can't _believe_ that you're still using that same idiotic catchphrase." He told him.

"Well you better believe it! Because it's time for the infamous squad seven to reunite!" Naruto cried.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five; Just A Little Bit of Luck

The next morning Sasuke met Sakura outside her house. "Good morning Sasuke." She began. "Are you ready to go?" she asked him.

"Yes but I still think that this is a bad idea. I don't want you to get hurt." He told her.

"Relax Sasuke, I'll be fine." She told him with a wave of her hand before she reached it out towards his. Sasuke took a deep breath and sighed heavily before he took ahold of it.

"I hope you're right." He told her before they started walking away together hand in hand.

"Say where's Naruto? I thought he was supposed to meet us here?" she asked him.

"Where do you think he is? He stopped off to get a bowl of ramen as usual." He replied.

"At nine o'clock in the morning? Isn't that a bit early?" she questioned him.

"Naruto could eat a bowl at _one_ o'clock in the morning if he wanted to." He told her when all of a sudden they ran into Ino. She took one look at Sasuke and Sakura before she started screaming. Sasuke sighed and rolled his eyes. "Here we go again." He said while Ino pointed at them.

"Sakura what do you think you're doing holding hands with Sasuke!?" she cried.

"Because Sasuke's my boyfriend now so you better get used to it." Sakura told her.

"What!? You and Sasuke are dating!?" she exclaimed with bewilderment.

"Yeah, now move out of our way. We have to meet a friend of ours." Sasuke told her.

"Fine! But this isn't over! As soon as you get back I'm going to have a little one on one talk with your girlfriend!" she snapped but Sasuke just simply grinned at her.

"Hn,.. I'm pretty sure that Sakura will win that argument. She'll probably wind up healing your body in the hospital after she sends you there herself." He told her before he and Sakura continued walking past Ino leaving her completely speechless. Sakura blushed while slowly turning her head away from him. "What?" he questioned glancing over at her.

"Oh it's nothing. I just never expected you to give me a complement like that that's all." She told him.

"I never said that I didn't have confidence in your abilities, I just feel like it's my duty to protect you with my life now that you're my girlfriend and potential future wife." He told her.

"What?" she inquired but it was right at that moment that Naruto had stopped them.

"Hey c'mon guys wait up!" he hollered with a wave as they both stopped and then spun around to face him. Sasuke took a deep breath before heaving a long drawn out sigh.

"Where have you been?" he asked him. "It couldn't have taken that long to finish eating." He told him.

"I know, I'm sorry. It's just I ran into somebody that I recognized that's all. Anyway, I'm ready to go now." Naruto said as Sakura eyed him with interest.

"Really? Who did you run into?" she asked him.

"Oh nobody. Just somebody who's friends with your mom." He told her.

"Well come on, we better get going." Sasuke said even though Sakura was still looking at Naruto curious on hearing more about this mysterious stranger.

"Way ahead of you Sasuke!" Naruto cried before he started racing ahead of him.

"What an idiot." Sasuke muttered under his breath. "He doesn't even know where he's going. _I'm_ the one who's supposed to be leading us." He said.

"Don't worry, I'm sure he'll realize that soon enough. Come on, let's go catch up with him." Sakura said before they continued walking down the path.

 _….._

"On the road again,.." Naruto sung while Sasuke just simply rolled his eyes at him. "I just can't wait to get on the road again,.." he continued.

"Naruto." Sasuke began.

"The life I love is making music with my friends" Naruto sung.

"Naruto." Sasuke repeated.

"Oh I just can't wait to get on the road again." Naruto finished.

"Naruto!" Sasuke hollered on the top of his lungs.

"What!?" Naruto shouted back.

"If you don't shut up I'm going to kick your ass again." Sasuke told him.

"Oh come on Sasuke, there's no need to get violent about this! I was just singing a song jeesh!" Naruto cried.

"I agree. Please, just calm down Sasuke." Sakura told him as Sasuke took a deep breath and sighed.

"Fine. I will for your sake." He said. "But he just better not get on my nerves." That's when all of a sudden they rounded the corner and a tiny little cute and adorable yellow and golden puppy raced out in front of them and started to bark.

"Hey, would you look at this?" Naruto began before he bent down and picked him up by his ribs before the puppy wagged his tail and licked his face. "Cute little guy isn't he?" he questioned them with a giggle. "What's the matter boy? Is Timmy alright?" he asked him while the puppy continued licking him and wagging his tail. "Hey! Cut it out!" Naruto exclaimed continuing to laugh as Sakura giggled as well.

"I think you made a new friend Naruto." She told him.

"Yeah, I guess so. And he doesn't have a collar or license so that must mean that he's a stray." He realized.

"Poor little guy." Sakura said.

"I know. That's why we'll just have to fix that. Well boy it looks like you're coming with us. Hey, maybe he'll even help us find Hinata." Naruto said before turning back over to look at Sasuke and Sakura.

"Don't be ridiculous." Sasuke began. "He's just a dog, he doesn't understand our language." He told him with a shake of his head.

"Oh really? Then tell me something all wise and mighty Sasuke, why is it that dogs always come running whenever you tell them that their dinner's ready?" Naruto questioned him.

"Hn." Sasuke replied simply.

"Hn yourself! Honestly Sakura with the utmost and greatest respect I don't know what it is that you see in this guy!" Naruto hollered back at him with a roll of his eyes before turning his attention back to the puppy. "Well, first things first I guess I have to give you a name. How about,.. Yoshi?" he inquired as the puppy cocked his head to one side.

"Yoshi?" Sasuke asked him while raising his eyebrows at him. "You mean like that green dinosaur in the Mario games that craps eggs out of his ass?" he wondered.

"Yeah, but that's not the reason that I decided to name him that. It's because it's another name for luck and good fortune. And a little bit of luck is exactly what we're going to need." Naruto explained before he set the puppy down beside him. "Come on Yoshi, you're coming with us." He told him with a grin before he took off running. Yoshi barked before he started running after him.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six; A Midnight Swim

 **Warning; This chapter is extremely fluffy and romantic. You have been warned.**

Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura felt like they had been walking forever. Every so often they stopped for food and a bathroom break (Naruto did his part by making sure that Yoshi was fed and hydrated) and then they would continue on their way. By the time night fell, Yoshi was the only one that was still energetic. "Well, I don't know about you guys but I'm exhausted." Naruto said.

"So am I." Sakura said sleepily with a yawn while Sasuke glanced over at her.

"Me too. I think we should stop and make camp here." He said as Naruto breathed a deep and heavy sigh before looking up at the starry sky.

"I sure hope that Hinata will be alright for one night." He said.

"I'm sure she will. We'll find her in the morning." Sasuke told him.

"Thanks Sasuke." Naruto said smiling back at him. "That's really reassuring." He told him before turning his head and looking over to the right. "Hey, where's Sakura going?" he wondered as Sasuke quickly turned his head and saw that she was busy making her way into an open field.

"I'm not sure, but I'm going to find out. I'll be right back." He told him before he started walking away. That's when Yoshi barked and started chasing after him. Sasuke glanced down at him. He had never admitted it to anyone and he never would, but he had always wanted a dog ever since he was a kid. "Come on, let's go see what Sakura's up to." He told him before he bent down and picked him up before carrying him away. Meanwhile Sakura breathed a dreamy sigh while she gazed up at the stars.

 _Flashback….._

Kakashi looked up at the sky as the sun was starting to set while Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura walked behind him. "Well, it looks like it's getting late. I guess that means that we should stop and make camp." He told them as Naruto glanced up at the sky as well.

"It's not late, it's not even eight o'clock yet." He said.

"I'd listen to him if I were you." Sasuke said before Naruto turned to look at him and smirked.

"What's the matter Sasuke, you're not afraid of the dark or anything are you?" he teased.

"No, but you should be. After all, that's when Akuma's spirit comes out." Sasuke teased back with a grin.

"Yeah right, you're just making that up to scare me. I know that there are no such things as ghosts." Naruto told him waving the thought away with his hand.

"Hn. Don't be so sure of that." Sasuke told him while Sakura just simply widened her eyes at him with interest.

"Uh Sasuke, who exactly is Akuma anyway? Not that I'm scared or anything, honest." She said with a nervous laugh before she smiled warmly at him.

 _"Yeah right! I'm totally freaking out right now!"_ her inner voice shouted inside her head.

"Well Akuma was apparently a kid that was so ugly that his parents hated him for it. So he ended up murdering them in their sleep. He lived in a cottage in the woods, but after he died it was torn down so he came back to haunt it and the rest of the woods. The legend goes that he was Lord Ororchimaru's great grandfather." He explained as Naruto gulped and started shivering before his teeth started to chatter.

"Sasuke stop scaring Naruto. Otherwise he'll be up all night long and none of us will be able to sleep." Kakashi said.

"What!? That's crazy! I'm not scared!" Naruto hollered before he quickly turned around again. "At least I remembered to pack my flashlight, blanket, and teddy bear though just in case." He whispered before he started walking away.

 _End of Flashback…_

Sakura smiled to herself and let out a quiet laugh. "What is it?" Sasuke asked her as he came up beside her carrying Yoshi. That's when Sakura finally realized that he was there and turned to look at him.

"Oh nothing. I was just remembering the last time all three of us were camping together. You scared Naruto about Akuma's ghost that he wound up wetting the bed." She said with a giggle.

"Yeah, I remember that. Then that dobe forced his way into my tent and wound up waking me up." He said with a chuckle. "It wasn't funny at all back then, I was so annoyed and mad at him. However, I've learned to laugh about things like that now. After all, I'm used to it." He told her.

"Boy, those sure were some amazing times back then weren't they? I mean Kakashi might have been late all the time, but he was a great sensei." She said before gazing back up at the stars and then quickly turning her head away from him. That's when Sasuke grabbed ahold of her chin and turned her face back towards him to face him.

"Don't start." He told her as he saw the tears rolling down her cheeks. "I'm going to miss Kakashi too, after all, he's one of the few people who accepted me and forgave me for my mistakes. But crying about it won't bring him back." He said before he took a deep breath and sighed heavily. "Come on, follow me, I have an idea." He told her before he sat Yoshi back down and walked away. Suddenly sprung with curiosity, Sakura started following him.

 _…_

"Uh Sasuke? Where are you taking me?" she wondered as he led her though the woods but he just simply turned to her and grinned.

"Hn." It wouldn't be much a surprise if I told you, now come on." He replied when all of a sudden an owl swooped out in front of them and landed on top of a tree branch with a hoot. Sasuke laughed as Sakura gasped. "It's alright, it's only an owl." He reassured her teasingly.

"I know but you seem to forget that that's what scared me the last time we were here." She told him when she suddenly heard rushing water in the distance. "It sounds like a waterfall." She said.

"That's because it is." He told her before leading her into the clearing where sparkling crystal waters stood in front of them.

"Wow Sasuke, it's really beautiful." She whispered with complete and utter astonishment and bewilderment.

"Hn." Sasuke agreed while smiling affectionately at her. However it wasn't the waterfall that he was referring to. That's when all of a sudden he took off his shirt and pulled it over his head then he turned to look back at her. "Well, are you coming?" he asked her before laughing again as he saw the look on her face. "Don't pass out though." He told her before she suddenly shook herself out of her trance.

"I don't know Sasuke, it looks really deep and I'm not a very good swimmer." She admitted.

"And you're even dumber than Naruto if you think that I'm going to let anything happen to you." He told her before he started walking closer towards the water. Sakura slipped off her own outfit and revealed a pink bikini underneath it. "Wow, maybe I'm the one who should worry about passing out." Sasuke said while he stopped and turned to her with a grin.

"You really don't think that it makes me look fat?" she questioned him.

"No. Of course not. Why would I think that?" he wondered.

"Because Ino said that it did." She told him.

"Well that just means that you were right all these years, she's a bitch and she doesn't know what she's talking about. And one other thing, screw all of those people that teased you about your forehead." He told her before he slowly walked towards her and brushed some strands of hair out of her eyes. "I personally think that you grew into it." He told her before he planted a soft and tender kiss to the skin underneath it. Then he took her hand, interlaced his fingers with hers and then led her over to the waterfall.

"Sasuke, I'm scared." She admitted before he took ahold of her hand and brought it up to his lips to kiss the back of it.

"Shh,.. it's alright. I already told you, I won't let anything happen to you. I promise you that." He assured her before he dropped her hand and jumped off the ledge. A few seconds later he hit the water with an enormous splash. Then he kicked up towards the surface a few seconds later after that and looked back up at her. "Come on Sakura." He told her with a warm and affectionate smile. "The water's great." He told her.

"Uh Sasuke? You know that feeling that you get when you're standing on top of a really high place with a sudden urge to jump?" she asked him without allowing him a chance to answer her. "Well, I don't have it." She told him with a gulp and a shake of her head.

"Fine. I guess that means that I'll have to enjoy it all by myself." He told her with a grin before he started floating and swimming around on his back. "It really is warm in here though, and I really wish that you would join me." He told her before sitting back up and beginning to tread the water looking back up at her expectantly.

"Oh well, here goes nothing." Sakura responded before she took a deep breath then leapt off the side of the ledge. A few seconds later she popped up to the surface frantically gasping for air. "Sasuke help me!" she cried while attempting to stand before he quickly swam over to her and wrapped his arms around her before pulling her inside his chest.

"It's alright, I got you." He began while gazing deeply inside her eyes. "And I'm never going to let you go again." He assured her while she gazed back into his eyes.

"I love you Sasuke." She told him.

"I love you too." He told her before he grabbed ahold of her chin and tilted it upwards and then started kissing her passionately underneath the moonlight.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven; Brotherly Love

 _Note; In this alternate universe, Sakura doesn't know about the Nine-Tailed Fox up until this point_

Sakura curled up inside Sasuke's chest as they sat underneath the cherry tree. "Goodnight Sasuke." She said sleepily with a yawn while she rested her head and closed her eyes.

"Goodnight." Sasuke said before he planted a soft kiss on top of her head. Naruto just simply heaved a deep and heavy sigh while he watched them. That's when Sasuke looked over at him. "What is it _now_?" he questioned him reluctantly.

"Nothing. It's just that you're _so_ lucky Sasuke. I would give anything in the world to have Hinata in my arms right now. I miss her so much and I'm really worried about her." Naruto replied sadly.

"I know, but Hinata's a strong woman. She's just as about as strong as Sakura is now. I'm sure that she'll be alright." Sasuke told him.

"I hope so. Well, goodnight buddy." Naruto told him before he yawned, laid down next to them and went to sleep. Sasuke looked at Naruto in a way he had never had before. He had always seen him as a friend, but now, he was starting to look at him like a brother. That had really meant a lot to Sasuke especially since it was his own fault that his biological brother was dead. It was true that Naruto was a pain, and there were times that he really got annoyed with him. However, deep down he still loved him anyway.

Sasuke took a deep breath and sighed. "Goodnight Naruto." He told him before he closed his eyes and went to sleep.

.. _…._

Later on that night Sasuke woke up having the urge to relieve himself. So he carefully set Sakura down on the grass beside him before he started venturing his way into the woods. Just when he was zipping his pants back he heard a petrified scream. "Oh shit! Sakura!" he exclaimed before he hurried back to her as fast as he could. By the time he had got there he had found her collapsed on her knees sobbing hysterically and Yoshi growling and barking off into the distance.

"Sakura what happened, are you hurt?" he asked her as he knelt down beside her before she threw her arms around him and embraced him tightly.

"Naruto,.. he's gone! You were right Sasuke! I couldn't do anything about it! I let him down!" she sobbed.

"Shh,.. it's alright. Just tell me what happened. Where's Naruto?" he asked her.

"He was kidnapped by the Akatsuki!" she cried when suddenly Sasuke's eyes widened.

"Something strange is going on here. First Hinata and now Naruto. Did they give a reason why?" he wondered.

"They said that they were going to drain his chakra or something." She said with a sniff.

"Oh no." Sasuke gasped feeling his heart pounding frantically against his chest. "If they do that they'll kill him!" he cried.

"But why do they want his chakra?" Sakura asked him feeling the tears continuing to roll down her cheeks.

"I'll tell you on the way." He told her.

"You're, you're really going to let me come with you?" she questioned him with uncertainty and bewilderment.

"Of course. Naruto is just as much your friend as he is mine. Besides that, I'll protect you with my life. Everything's going to be alright Sakura, I promise you that." He told her before he cupped her cheek and kissed her tenderly on the lips. "I love you so much." He said.

"I love you too. I'm just really scared Sasuke, what if we don't make it in time?" she asked him.

"We have to. I almost lost him once and I won't allow myself to go through it again." He told her.

 _…._

Yoshi ran alongside Sasuke and Sakura. "You see Naruto has this special chakra inside of him that he's been learning to control." Sasuke told her.

"I know that. But what would anyone else want with it?" she wondered.

"Because Naruto is a Jinchurki. I saw it myself. He had the Nine-Tailed Fox sealed inside him when he was a baby." Sasuke explained.

"So that's why everyone has always hated him so much. They treat him like he's the monster himself." Sakura realized while she hung her head sadly. "Poor Naruto." She said.

 _….._

Naruto suddenly found himself buckled down to a table. "Alright that's enough! Let me go!" he hollered while trying to struggle free at exactly the same time. "And I _demand_ to know where my wife is!" he yelled.

"Oh relax, she's perfectly fine." One of the Akatsuki members with bright red hair and dark red eyes began with a sneer. "For now. She's sound asleep. You see all we need is her eyes, the rest of her body is yours. That is if you cooperate. You see, we're working on building the ultimate superweapon. With Hinata's byakugan and your chakra I could wind up destroying the entire world." He said.

"Look, you can do whatever you want to me alright? Just promise me that you won't hurt Hinata." Naruto told him.

"So be it then. Any last words?" he asked him while he started making the hand signs for the Fuinjutsu. That's when suddenly Sakura kicked down the door and Sasuke burst into the room in front of her.

"Let go of my little brother." He growled angrily while he turned on his sharingan and started to form the Chidori.

"Sasuke! Sakura! Boy am I happy to see you guys!" Naruto exclaimed excitedly.

"Well, well, if it isn't the famous Sasuke Uchiha. Lord Ororchimaru told me all about you. You see allow me to introduce myself. You can call me Doragon. I joined up as soon as you left and now I can see why. It looks like you found yourself a pretty little girlfriend." He said.

"Stay away from her." Sasuke growled. "And let Naruto go." He told him.

"Hmm… no. I think not." Doragon responded.

"Fine, it looks like we're going to have to do this the hard way then. Sakura! Now!" Sasuke hollered as Sakura punched the ground in the center of them room making the cement crack in two. Sasuke charged towards Doragon with his Chidori while Sakura ran towards the table and began removing Naruto's straps.

"Come on Naruto, we have to find Hinata and then get out of here." She told him after she had helped him back up to his feet but Naruto simply just froze. "Come on! We don't have all day!" she hollered.

"I'm sorry it's just that, Sasuke just called me his little brother. That's the first time I ever heard him say something so nice about me." Naruto said.

"I know and that's because to him you are. It may not seem like it but he cares about you very much and so do I." Sakura told him before placing a comforting hand upon his shoulder.

"Naruto! Sakura! Run! Now!" Sasuke ordered while continuing to hold Doragon back with his Chidori. That's when Sakura quickly grabbed Naruto's hand.

"Come on Naruto! We have to go save Hinata!" she exclaimed while she started to runaway and drag him away. That's when Naruto suddenly came to a dead stop and turned his head to look over his shoulder back at his friend.

"But what about Sasuke!?" he cried.

"He'll be alright don't worry, now come on we don't have much time." Sakura told him before she pulled him away.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight; The Rescue Mission

Just when they had run out of the room Yoshi quickly rounded the corner and barked up at Naruto excitedly wagging his tail. "Yoshi!" Naruto cried before the tiny yellow puppy leapt inside his arms and then started licking his cheek. "Thank goodness you're alright, I was so worried about you." He told him while hugging him tightly to his chest.

"Hey Naruto," Sakura began before he looked over at her.

"Yeah Sakura what is it?" he questioned her back.

"Sasuke told me about the Nine-Tailed Fox, I'm really sorry. I didn't know about that. That must have been really awful for you growing up. Everybody hating you for something that obviously you couldn't control." She told him glancing down at the ground.

"Yeah, it was. But now I _have_ learned to control it. And I found friends who've accepted me for who I am. Like you and Sasuke." He told her.

"Yeah, and you also have a woman who loves you for who you are." Sakura pointed out.

"That's right! Hinata!" Naruto cried before he set Yoshi back down on the ground beside him. "Come on boy! Let's go find her!" he exclaimed before Yoshi barked again and bounded around the corner after him and Sakura. That's when all of a sudden they ran into Karin again. Yoshi lowered his head, barked and started to growl. "It's you again!" Naruto cried.

"Where's Hinata!?" he hollered angrily on the top of his lungs but Karin simply just remained silent. "Answer me! Where is she!?" he screamed feeling himself starting to transform into his Nine-Tailed form as his eyes started to glow a devilish red and his fingernails extended into claws.

"Please Naruto, calm down." Sakura pleaded.

"No! Not until this bitch tells me where Hinata is!" Naruto shrieked and that's when suddenly Karin stepped aside and Hinata stepped forward. Naruto instantly went back to normal. "Hinata?" he questioned with uncertainty. "Is that really you, or am I stuck inside a Genjutsu?"

"It's me Naruto." Hinata began. "Karin freed me and gave me back my eyes." She told him while he widened his eyes with pure and utter astonishment and disbelief.

"I don't understand, why would she do that? I thought you were on Doragon's side!" Naruto exclaimed now turning his attention back over to Karin.

"I was. That was until Sakura knocked some sense into me. I'm sorry Sakura, please forgive me." She said.

"Don't worry, it's alright. As long as we got Hinata back that's all that matters." Sakura told her.

"Hinata!" Naruto cried as his wife hurried over to him and the two tightly embraced each other before Naruto cupped her cheek and brought her face towards his and passionately kissed her on the lips.

"Oh Naruto, I was so scared!" she cried blinking away her tears.

"I know, so was I. I thought that I would never see you again. But everything's alright now, we've just got to get Sasuke and then get the hell out of here." He told her before he grabbed ahold of her hand and pulled her back around the corner while Sakura and Yoshi followed them. That's when they caught sight of Sasuke at the end of the tunnel and ran straight towards him.

"Sasuke!" Sakura cried while she rushed inside his arms.

"Sakura." He began. "Are you alright?" he asked her as she nodded.

"I'm fine. But Naruto and Hinata are still in danger, we have to get them out of here." She told him as he silently agreed before all five of them ran back outside together.

 _…._

Sasuke stood on top of the hill looking down on Konohagakure while his hair blew inside the breeze as the sun started to rise. Meanwhile Naruto, Hinata, and Sakura watched him from behind the tree. "I can't believe it, Sasuke saved my life." Naruto began. "I have to go and thank him." He told them before he started walking over to him. "Sasuke?" he began as Sasuke quickly turned his head and looked behind him seeing Naruto standing there.

"I just wanted to say thanks for saving me." He told him.

"Don't mention it. Now we're even." Sasuke replied before he turned back around as Naruto came back up beside him.

"Did you really mean it?" Naruto began as Sasuke glanced down at him. "What you said back there, about me being like your little brother." He said.

"If I didn't, why do you think I said it? Listen Naruto, you and I are a lot alike. We both have experienced pain. The only difference is that you never knew what it was like to have a family and people who were there to care about you and look out for you. So it might as well be me." Sasuke told him.

"Well, it's just that one moment we're like best friends and the next moment we're at each other's throats. I just don't get it." Naruto said.

"Exactly. I wouldn't expect you too. But that's the way it was with me and Itachi. He never really had any time for me, and he would always go around making empty promises to me. But I knew that deep down he really loved me." Sasuke told him.

"What?" Naruto questioned shakily with a gasp as Sasuke finally turned around to face him again.

"It's true. There are times where I hate you, where I can't stand you. You get on my nerves so much that there are times where I just want to strangle you. But the truth is that I never actually would because if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be out searching for redemption or be dating Sakura. You truly are the greatest friend that I could ever ask for, and how could I not help but love you for it?" he asked him.

"You,.. you really mean that? You love me?" Naruto questioned him feeling tears suddenly roll down his cheeks.

"Listen, don't go getting all emotional on me about it. You know that I can't stand it when_" Sasuke began but before he could finish his sentence Naruto threw his arms tightly around him and embraced him making him feel suddenly taken aback.

"I love you too buddy." Naruto said while he closed his eyes as tears continued rolling down his cheeks. Sakura smiled at them as she watched them while Sasuke just simply glanced down at Naruto feeling unsure and uncertain about the whole entire situation. A few seconds later Naruto let go. "Sorry about that, I just had to do that." He told him.

"Whatever, just don't get used to it." Sasuke said before they both turned to look back over the hill.

"It's going to be very different without Kakashi around." Naruto said.

"I know, but look on the bright side,.. Kakashi chose you to be the next hokage before he died. So I guess that means that you'll finally get your wish." Sasuke told him before he looked up at him.

"So what do you think, do you think I'll do a good job?" he wondered as Sasuke looked back down at him.

"I don't know, that all remains to be seen." He told him.

"Oh." Naruto said while breathing a sad sigh and hanging his head before he felt Sasuke poking his forehead with his two fingers.

"But if you're as good as it as you are as being a shinobi, then I believe that you won't have anything to worry about. You'll be just fine, believe it." He teased with a grin as Naruto stifled a laugh.

"You idiot, that's my catchphrase!" he cried as Sasuke laughed.

"Come on, let's go home." He told him smiling warmly at him as Naruto returned it before they both turned around and walked away.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine; The Proposal

 **A Few Years Later…**

A very pregnant Hinata admired her pictures on the wall. There were pictures of Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto, and her together, and pictures of their eldest son Boruto when he was just a baby. There were also pictures of when he was a toddler and posing for pictures with his baby sister Himawari. Of course one of Hinata's favorite pictures was Naruto's team picture. However, in a few days a new picture would be added to the wall since Boruto would be turning three.

Himawari giggled as she toddled a crossed the kitchen floor while Yoshi finished lapping up some of the water in his water dish. Then he sat down and lifted his leg before scratching himself behind his collar. "Yoshi! Yoshi!" Himawari exclaimed before she giggled again before the dog stood up again and started licking her face. That's when suddenly Naruto exited the bedroom.

"Yoshi,.. no kisses." He warned pointing a firm finger at the dog who just simply looked up at him innocently. That's when Naruto bent over and picked his daughter up inside his arms and kissed her cheek. "I'm sorry princess, Daddy's got to go to work now." He told her.

"Are you sure? It's awfully early." Hinata began. "And Boruto isn't even awake yet." She told him.

"I know, I'm sorry but I promised Sasuke that I would meet him for breakfast. He had to talk to me about something very important." Naruto told her before planting a quick kiss on her lips. "I love you both and I'll see you later." He told her before handing Himawari over to her and then patting his leg. "C'mon boy, do you want to come with me? Come on, let's go see Sasuke." He told him as Yoshi barked happily and started wagging his tail before sprinting out the door after Naruto.

 _….._

Sasuke grinned as he saw Naruto and Yoshi walking over to him. "Hn." He remarked. "What did you bring the mutt for?" he inquired before the dog leapt up onto his hind paws and stuck his front two onto Sasuke's arm. Sasuke grinned before he started scratching him behind the ears and rubbing his belly. He gave his head a final pat before he leapt back down and started to pant.

"Sorry. He wanted to say hello to you." Naruto said with a nervous chuckle before he turned over to look at his dog. "Alright boy, you can't come with us anymore. You have to go home now." He told him before the dog started trotting away wagging his tail behind him. "You know, as much as you love dogs you should get one." Naruto said turning his attention back to his friend.

"I don't know if I'm ready for the responsibility yet." Sasuke admitted. "Anyway, how's the wife and children?" he inquired.

"They're all doing great." Naruto began with a chuckle. "Boruto's very excited about his birthday coming up. He said he would really like a little brother for his birthday." He explained.

"Hn." Sasuke began with a smirk. "I'm not really all that surprised to tell you the truth. After all, he sees us together all the time and we've become even more like brothers in the past few years." He said.

"Yeah. I mean, I know that he loves his little sister but deep down I think he wants to be able to play with someone who likes the same kind of toys that he likes." Naruto said. "Anyway, we're getting way off topic. What did you want to talk to me about anyway?" he asked him.

"Come with me, I'll tell you at the restaurant." Sasuke replied before he turned around and led him away.

 _…_

"Alright so enough already! Come on Sasuke, I can't take the suspense!" Naruto exclaimed as he sat down across the table from him before Sasuke dug inside his pocket.

"Here." He told him as he tossed the small black box over to him.

"Wow Sasuke, is this what I think it is?" Naruto questioned him as he widened his eyes with astonishment and bewilderment while flipping the lid open with his thumb. Sure enough there was a sparkling ring inside of it.

"Yep. I'm going to ask Sakura to marry me." Sasuke replied.

"Really? Wow Sasuke! Sakura's really going to flip when she sees this!" Naruto told him before he closed the box and handed it back over to him.

"I know, she's been dreaming about it for years." He said.

"So when are you going to ask her?" Naruto questioned him.

"Tonight. I'm taking here somewhere really special. The thing is, I'm not all too sure what to say to her." He replied while storing the box back away inside his pocket. "Any advice?" he wondered.

"Sure. It's like I always tell you. Don't let the words come from your mind, let them come from your heart." Naruto told him with a warm and affectionate smile in which he returned.

"Thanks Naruto, what would I do without you?" he questioned him.

"I don't know, but luckily you'll never have to find out because you're stuck with me." Naruto told him as they exchanged grins before bumping their fists together and then turning their heads over to look at the waitress as she walked over to their table.

 _…._

That night Sasuke and Sakura went for their walk together. They strolled along the bridge hand in hand when suddenly Yoshi started trotting up to them. "Hey Yoshi, what are you doing here boy?" Sakura inquired glancing down at him.

"Naruto lent him to me because I thought we could use some company." Sasuke replied with a grin. "Recognize where we are by any chance?" he asked her as Sakura gasped and quickly turned her head to look over at the ninja academy.

"Sasuke, this is where we first officially met." She realized.

"That's right." Sasuke began continuing to grin at her. "Kakashi had taken us out here so we could introduce us to each other. Back then I was so set on my quest for revenge that I hadn't noticed you were completely drooling over me until Naruto brought it up." He explained.

"All I remember is you calling me annoying." She said breathing a sad sigh.

"That's because you were." Sasuke told her. "And you still are from time to time just a little less annoying than you were back then. However, the only thing that annoys me about you now is the fact that no matter what I do, I can't seem to get you out of my head." He told her as Yoshi sat down beside her and then stood up on his hind paws holding something in-between his teeth. "Thanks." Sasuke began before quickly snatching the box out of his mouth.

"Sasuke,.. is that_" Sakura began widening her eyes with disbelief.

"Sakura, Naruto made his own dream come true becoming the hokage. I had my own dream come true when I found a woman who loves me and has always stayed at my side even when I didn't deserve it. Now, you're the only one left. You deserve to have your dream come true as well." He told her before he flipped the lid of the box open with his thumb. "Sakura Haruno, will you marry me?" he asked her. That's when suddenly Sakura felt a flood of tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Oh my God, it's so beautiful Sasuke. I don't know what to say." She said.

"Well, a simple yes or no would suffice." He told her with a grin.

"What!? Are you kidding!? Of course I will. I love you Sasuke. With all of my heart." She told him.

"I love you too." He replied before he removed the ring out of the box and slid it onto her finger. Then they both closed their eyes and kissed passionately under the moonlight.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten; The New Car

 **Warning; The beginning of this chapter has minor sexual themes**

Later that night Sasuke took Sakura back to his apartment for the night. He carried her inside the bedroom while continuing to make out with her at the same time. Then he collapsed on top of his bed with his body overtop of hers. He continued to kiss her down her body as he begun to undress her. "Sasuke wait," Sakura began. "I'm scared. I've never done this before." She admitted as Sasuke bent over her and kissed her forehead.

"Everything will be alright don't worry. I'm not going to hurt you." He told her before pulling his own shirt over his head and then unbuttoning his pants while his heart pounded frantically against his chest. Then he unzipped his pants and climbed on top of Sakura kissing her lips again. "I love you." He whispered inside her ear breathing heavily.

"I love you too." She told him softly as he kissed her neck and then nibbled on her ear before they started to mate.

 _…_

The next morning Sakura woke up inside Sasuke's arms. Sasuke smiled down at her before kissing her tenderly on the lips. "Good morning." He told her.

"Oh, good morning Sasuke." She said.

"How did you sleep?" he wondered before kissing the top of her head.

"I never slept better in my life. I had a dream that you and I became engaged." She told him.

"It wasn't a dream for once actually. Just look down at your left hand." He told her before he climbed up out of bed and started putting on his blue robes. "Take your time getting up, I'm going to make breakfast. We don't have to be at Naruto's until four o'clock this afternoon." He said.

"Oh yeah that's right, Boruto's birthday party is today." Sakura realized when all of a sudden the telephone rang.

"Don't bother getting up, I'll get that." Sasuke told her before he walked out into the living room and grabbed ahold of the phone. "Hello?" he questioned.

"Hey Sasuke!" Naruto began as Sasuke groaned and rolled his eyes.

"This better be important. Sakura's here. She slept over here last night after I proposed to her." He explained.

"Oh really? I take it that means that she said yes then." Naruto said.

"Of course it does you idiot. Why else would we have slept together?" Sasuke grumbled underneath his breath.

"Well in that case two things. First of all, congratulations, and second of all look outside." Naruto told him as Sasuke took a deep breath and sighed heavily. "Why, I saw what it looked like earlier." He said while he slowly turned his head. "And I think it's a pretty nice_" he began when suddenly his eyes popped wide open and his jaw dropped. "Naruto, there's a black Mitsubishi parked down on the curb." He said with complete shock and bewilderment.

"I know. That's because it's yours. I figured that you and Sakura could arrive at the party in style." Naruto told him.

"No fuckin way." Sasuke began. "You got me a car!?" he exclaimed excitedly.

"Well sure, I mean I have one and Sakura has one and I figured that you were probably getting tired of walking everywhere so I bought you one. It already has gas in it as well." Naruto told him.

"Naruto you are the best friend in the whole entire world!" Sasuke told him as Naruto laughed.

"Thanks I know. I'm glad you like it though. Well I'll let you get going, I'll see you later buddy." Naruto told him.

"Alright see ya, and thanks again." Sasuke said with a grin before he hung up the phone. That's when suddenly the toilet flushed and Sakura came out of the bathroom a few moments later wearing a pink and shimmering robe. "Sakura, you'll never guess what just happened." He began.

"What?" she asked curiously out of interest.

"Naruto bought me a car!" he told her excitedly.

"What!? I don't believe it! Naruto actually spent that much money on you!?" she cried.

"Sure. See for yourself and look out the window." He told her as she walked over to the window and widened her eyes out of complete astonishment and bewilderment.

"Wow, that looks pretty expensive alright. I wonder why he would do something like that." She said before glancing over at him. "I mean don't get me wrong, that was really nice of him, but why would he spend all that money on you?" she wondered.

"I guess it's partly because he loves me and partly because he already knew that I was going to propose to you so he bought me an early wedding present because he probably figured that you'd say yes ." He replied.

"So do you know how to drive it?" Sakura inquired.

"Yeah. Kakashi gave me driving lessons before he died and then gave me my license after I passed my test." He told her. "I've just been too busy with you and helping take care of Naruto and his family that I just haven't had the time to get a car. Naruto may be annoying but one thing's for sure, I'd totally be lost without him." He said as Sakura giggled.

"I love the bromance that you have going on between you. It's so cute. You hate each other yet at the same time you know how much you love and need each other." She said as he just simply grinned at her.

"Hn. Maybe, but nothing's as cute as hearing you giggle." He told her before he leaned towards her and planted a kiss on her cheek before walking into the kitchen.

 _…._

Sasuke pulled his new car into Naruto's driveway and parked it beside his. "Uncle Sauce-Kay!" Boruto cried while he raced outside and flung out his arms. "Boruto come back!" his mother instructed as Sasuke and Sakura stepped out of the car.

"Oh, hello there Boruto." Sakura began smiling down at him. "Happy birthday." She told him before she handed him a rather large brightly colored orange back. "This is for you." He told her before Naruto started walking towards them.

"What do you say Boruto?" he questioned him before the little boy glanced up at Sakura and smiled.

"Thank you, Aunt Sakura." He began. "Daddy told me that you and Uncle Sauce-Kay are getting married."

"That's because we are." Sakura told him with a grin.

"He also told me that you both have the same mommies." He added before his father scooped him up inside his arms.

"What?" Sakura questioned widening her eyes with bewilderment.

"I already told you not to mention that in front of her!" Naruto scolded.

"Naruto, what is he talking about? What does he mean that we have the same mothers? Mine's alive and yours isn't right?" she asked him but he just simply remained silent for a few moments before taking a deep breath and sighed heavily.

"No. She's alive. In fact she's inside right now. I'm sorry Sakura, I was going to wait until I had more time to prepare you for this." He told her.

"I still don't understand. What's going on?" she asked him.

"Come on inside and I'll explain the whole thing." He told her before he carried Boruto away and led them inside.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven; Kushina's Tale

Yoshi darted over to the door and started to bark. "Yoshi! Stop barking at them!" Hinata cried while clapping her hands loudly.

"Oh that's alright, he's only trying to say hello." Sakura reassured her before Naruto opened the door and let Yoshi come out to see them. Yoshi wagged his tail excitedly before leaping up on Sakura.

"Yoshi down!" Naruto demanded before pulling back on his collar and pulling him back onto all fours.

"Hn." Sasuke said with a grin before scratching the dog behind his ears and then giving him a pat. That's when Yoshi started wagging his tail to and fro while he walked away before squatting down in the yard. "See? That's another reason that I don't own a dog. I don't want to have to clean up after their shit." He said.

"First of all, watch your language in front of Boruto." Naruto began. "And second of all, you would have to do the same thing if you and Sakura ever had your own kid. The only difference is that they would be doing their business in a diaper instead of the yard." He told him before Yoshi stood up again and walked back over to them panting and wagging his tail happily. "I'll clean up later. Come on boy, let's take you back inside so you can get a nice cold drink of water." He told him as he opened the door again and held it open for him so that he could go back inside.

"I have to admit, I've always been more of a cat person but Yoshi is really cute." Sakura said.

"I can't stand cats." Sasuke began. "All they do is eat sleep and poop. They can't really play with you or give you unconditional love like a dog can." He said.

"Oh really? Then why do you think they purr and rub against you?" Sakura questioned him.

"Well I'm more of a dog person myself but I like cats too even though I am allergic." Naruto said before they all went back inside.

"Daddy!" Himawari exclaimed while smiling up at him before he sat Boruto back down on the ground beside him.

"Well hello there princess, how's my baby girl?" Naruto asked her in an excited childlike voice before he bent over and planted a kiss on her cheek.

"She just woke up from her nap and I just changed her so she should be a very happy camper until it's time for dinner." Hinata explained while she pulled down the hem of the baby's dress and then sat her back down on the ground.

"Great, where's Kushina and Mebuki?" Naruto questioned before the two ladies walked down the hallway.

"Hello Sasuke, hello Sakura." Kushina began smiling warmly at them.

"Are you Naruto's mother?" Sakura questioned her with uncertainty as she nodded.

"I am. Naruto's told me an awful lot about you. I can't believe how much you've grown since I last saw you." She replied.

"Wait a minute, I'm confused." Sasuke began. "Are you telling me that you've seen her before?" he asked her before Kushina slowly nodded.

"Yes, but I wouldn't expect her to remember it. She was only a little girl the last time I saw her." She said.

"Okay that's it, how could you have seen her before and why did Boruto say that you were her mother as well as Naruto's?" Sasuke asked her before glancing over at Mebuki. "Clearly her mother is standing beside you." He said but that's when suddenly Kushina sighed sadly.

"I'm sorry Sakura, Mebuki wanted to tell you but it's just that she loved you so much that she didn't want you to get hurt again." She explained.

"I don't understand. What are you talking about?" Sakura asked her before Kushina sighed again.

"Tell me Sakura, how far back can you remember?" she inquired.

"I don't know. Probably to when I was either six or seven." Sakura responded.

"You can't remember _anything_ before that then?" Kushina asked her.

"No." she began. "Should I?" she wondered before Kushina reached down inside the collar of her shirt and revealed that she was wearing a silver locket around her neck before slipping it over her head. "Does this ring a bell?" she asked her while dangling it down in the air before Sakura gasped and widened her eyes as the locket suddenly sparkled.

"I remember now." Sakura said.

"What? What is it?" Sasuke asked her as he turned his head over to look at her. "I still don't understand what's going on." He said when suddenly a flashback began running through Sakura's mind.

 _…._

Sakura jumped and skipped over the puddles while Naruto splashed inside of them. That's when all of a sudden Kushina stuck her head out the door. "Sakura, it's time to come inside now your father's home!" she called while the little girl suddenly stopped playing and glanced up in her mother's direction. "Naruto, you should come inside too and finish your homework!" she exclaimed.

"Coming Mommy!" Sakura called back before she turned to look over at her older half-brother and smiled. "Come on Naruto, the last one inside is a rotten egg!" she cried before she sprinted towards the door.

"Hey no fair! You got a head start!" Naruto exclaimed before he chased after her. The two children continued giggling until Sakura found herself being lifted into the air by a tall man with light blonde hair and dark green eyes like hers.

"Daddy!" she hollered as the man grinned at her and then started to chuckle.

"Hello my little princess." He told her before he planted a kiss on her left cheek. "I've got something for you." He told her.

"What is it Daddy!?" she exclaimed excitedly while he carried her into the kitchen.

"Come on now, if I told you it wouldn't be too much of a surprise." He told her with another chuckle before he sat her down in front of the kitchen table. "Happy birthday Sakura." He told her as her eyes started to glisten and dance with excitement before she ripped inside the brightly colored pink package. Underneath the paper was a wooden box and inside the box was the most beautiful locket that she had ever seen.

"Oh Daddy! It's so beautiful! I love it!" she cried while she dangled the glistening silver object in front of her.

"I'm glad you like it." Her father began. "Here, let me help you put it on." He told her before he slipped it over her head and then fixed her hair neatly again. Sakura gasped before she rushed over to the mirror and saw her reflection.

"Ooh! It's the best birthday present that I ever got!" she cried as Kushina smiled down at her daughter.

"What do you say Sakura?" she asked her while continuing to smile at her.

"Oh thank you Daddy! Thank you so much! I can't wait to show Ino and Sasuke." She said while breathing a dreamy little sigh.

 _…._

"Sakura." Sasuke began. "Are you listening to me?" he asked her before she suddenly shook her head and snapped out of her trance.

"I'm sorry Sasuke." She began turning over to look at him. "It's just that I remembered that my father gave it to me when I was a little girl. Back when I still lived with Kushina and Naruto." She told him.

"So wait," Sasuke began. "does that mean_" he continued but before he could finish his question Sakura interrupted him and nodded.

"Yes Sasuke. She's really my mother. My biological mother. I remember that after my birth father gave that locket to me I would wear it everywhere, mostly to impress you since even at that age I really wanted you to like me. However it became even more important to me after my father was killed in action because it reminded me of him." She explained.

"So what happened then?" Sasuke wondered. "How did you wind up getting separated from each other?" he asked her when suddenly Sakura's mind shot back to the exact moment and she breathed a sad little sigh.

 _…._

"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight nine ten!" Naruto exclaimed before removing his face from the tree and opened his eyes. "Alright Sakura! Ready or not, here I come!" he hollered while he started walking through the woods. "Sakura,.. where are you!?" he called while meanwhile Sakura giggled inside the bush where she was hiding. As Naruto continued walking down the path calling her name Sakura leapt out of the bushes again.

"He'll never find me!" she cried while she hurried further inside the woods in the opposite direction. Meanwhile Naruto was really starting to get worried. It was starting to get late and he was really hungry.

"Sakura!" he hollered through his cupped hands. "Where are you!?" he cried before he sadly hung his head. "Or where am I for that matter?" he questioned himself as a tear suddenly rolled down his cheek deeply afraid that he would never see his mother or little sister again.

 _…_

"So you just mean to tell me that you left both of your children out in the woods by themselves and _forgot_ about them!?" Sasuke yelled angrily at Kushina but that's when she breathed a deep and heavy sad sigh.

"No Sasuke. You see, word had gotten out that I was the wife of the fourth hokage. The same man who was Naruto's birth father. And the same man who sealed Kurama inside of him before he sacrificed himself for the hidden leaf village. All of a sudden I was treated differently. I got death threats and somebody even burned my house down. So, that's when I figured that it would be in my children's best interest if I ran and they had believed that I had died. And as Naruto finally made his way back home, that's exactly what he thought.

I knew that they would find friends and family to take them in, love them, and protect them. It turns out that I was right." She said as Sakura suddenly saw the flashback in her mind again.

 _..…_

Four year old Sakura burst into tears while she wandered farther into the woods. "Mommy!" she sobbed. "Mommy! Naruto where are you!?" she sobbed when suddenly she bumped into another tall woman. Sakura gasped while tears continued rolling down her cheeks.

"Are you lost little one?" the woman asked her as Sakura nodded tearfully before rubbing away her tears with a sniff. "Well what's your name?" she asked her.

"Sakura." Sakura replied sadly.

"Well Sakura, my name's Mebuki. Don't worry, I'll help you. Come with me." Mebuki told her with a warm and affectionate smile before she offered a hand over to the child. Sakura gasped again and slowly backed away. "Don't worry, I won't hurt you. Come with me. I'll take care of you until we find your parents." She said before Sakura slowly reached forward and grabbed ahold of her hand and allowed Mebuki to lead her away.

 _…._

"I can't believe that I would forget something like that." Sakura said while slowly beginning to hang her head.

"Yeah, me neither." Naruto said.

"Well, I was finally able to track her down a few years ago." Mebuki explained before Sakura glanced back up at them and then slowly backed away.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she questioned them angrily before a few moments of silence passed between them. "Well!?" she hollered.

"I'm sorry Sakura, we were going to but_" Naruto began while he slowly reached out towards her but she quickly pushed him away.

"And you Naruto? You knew about this as well didn't you!?" she snapped while clenching her fist and holding it out in front of his face. "Some brother you are!" she yelled before she turned around and ran out the door.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve; One Big Happy Family

"Wait Sakura!" Naruto cried just as soon as she had run out the door before he heaved a heavy sigh and hung his head. "I never meant to hurt her. I just didn't want to tell her because I knew you both were going to when you were ready." He said before he glanced back up at Kushina and Mebuki.

"I know Naruto, it isn't your fault. It's mine. I should have told her a long time ago." Mebuki admitted sadly.

"Me too. I feel awful about what happened. I'm sorry I wasn't involved more in yours and your sister's life." His mother told him.

"I still can't believe that you guys really are related." Sasuke began. "And after years of having a crush on her." He said before Naruto made a disgusted face.

"Please Sasuke don't remind me." He told him when all of a sudden his mother handed him the locket.

"Here Naruto, you know Sakura better than I do. Would you talk to her for me? She is your sister after all. You can even take Sasuke with you." She began before turning her head over into his direction and looking at him. "I'm sure that she'll listen to both of you more than she ever would listen to me." She told them as Naruto nodded.

"You can count on me. Believe it!" he exclaimed as Sasuke rolled his eyes at him.

"Me too." He told her.

"Good, now that we have that settled." Naruto began with a grin before snatching his friend's car keys off of the kitchen counter. "What do you say on me giving this baby a test drive?" he questioned him before Sasuke quickly snatched them away from him.

"Don't even think about it! We can take my car but I'm driving. Nobody is to drive that car but me." He told him.

"Ouch! You know that really is a sucker punch for somebody who gave you that car in the first place." Naruto said crossly before turning his back towards him and folding his arms.

"I don't care. You should be lucky that I'm allowing you to ride shotgun." Sasuke told him before Kushina giggled.

"Wow, you two aren't even related at all yet and already you act like brothers." She said.

"That's right, as soon as you marry Sakura you're going to be my brother in-law." Naruto said.

"Whoopee." Sasuke said sarcastically with a teasing grin. "Now come on, let's go find Sakura." He told him before he turned around and started heading towards the door.

"Come on Sasuke, next to your wedding day this should be the happiest day of your life!" Naruto exclaimed before he followed him out the door.

 _…_

"Do you see her anywhere?" Sasuke questioned while he continued driving the car down the street before Naruto took a deep breath and sighed heavily.

"No, not yet." He said before he turned his head and looked out the window. "Wait a minute, stop!" he cried when suddenly Sasuke slammed on the brakes and came to a screeching halt.

"What is it, do you see her?" he questioned him anxiously.

"What? Who?" he asked him.

"Sakura! You know, your sister my fiancée and soon to be wife." He growled irritably.

"Sakura, who's talking about Sakura?" Naruto began. "I just thought that we could stop for a bite to eat at Ramen Ichiraku." He said before Sasuke rolled his eyes and groaned.

"You really are an idiot do you know that? It really amazes me how you even became hokage in the first place. All I can say is that thank God your sister didn't inherit the same stupidity as you." Sasuke told him heaving a heavy sigh and then shaking his head before putting his foot back on the accelerator.

"Well, _sorry_." Naruto began while folding his arms as his stomach started to rumble. "I can't help it if I'm hungry. After all I need to eat to survive." He grouched.

"Yeah well if you don't shut up and help me find Sakura that's not going to be a problem for you anymore." Sasuke told him.

"Wait a minute!" Naruto cried before Sasuke impatiently slammed on the brakes again.

"What is it this time!?" he hollered. "Do you see another restaurant or something that you want to stop at!?" he cried.

"No." Naruto began quickly while he pointed across the street from them. "I see her, she's right over there." He told him before Sasuke slowly turned his head and saw that he was right.

"She's at the cemetery. I should have figured that she would be there." He said before he put the car in park and turned off the engine. "Come on, let's go." He told him before pulling his keys out of the ignition and throwing off his seatbelt. Naruto removed his own seatbelt before they both got out of the car. Sakura was unaware that they were there even after they slammed their doors shut. Sasuke pushed the automatic lock button while Sakura heaved a deep and heavy sad sigh staring down upon her (biological) father's gravestone.

That's when suddenly she heard a familiar voice speaking her name behind her. "Sakura." Sasuke began before she turned around to look at him. "Are you alright?" he questioned her.

"I'm sorry Sakura, it's all my fault." Naruto said before she glanced over at him. "I should have never even been born, then none of this ever would have happened." He said heaving a sad sigh while hanging his head.

"Don't you dare say that." Sakura told him.

"Sakura's right, if it wasn't for you than we wouldn't have even been together." Sasuke said before Naruto slowly raised his head.

"Look. The only reason that Mom left is because of me. _I'm_ the one who put you both in danger!" he exclaimed.

"For something that you couldn't control." Sakura pointed out. "Listen Naruto it's not your fault and I shouldn't have gotten mad at you. I'm sorry, I'm the one who should be apologizing to you for treating you the way I did. And the only reason I got mad at you is I guess because I was jealous of you." She explained while glancing down at the ground.

"What!? Jealous of me? How come?" Naruto questioned her widening his eyes with bewilderment and disbelief.

"You and Sasuke have a stronger relationship than we do. You could never love me the way you love him and you're not even brothers." She told him sadly.

"What!? Don't be ridiculous! Sakura, even before I knew that you were my sister I still loved you. Sasuke might be my best friend but so are you." He told her before he dug inside his pocket and took out the locket. "It just makes our relationship even more special now that I know you really are my sister." He told her. "And it's good to know that I finally found you at last. Here, Mom wanted me to give this to you so you could finally have it back." He told her smiling warmly at her.

Sakura smiled before she took it away from him. "Thanks Naruto, it really means a lot to me." She told him before she put it around her neck.

"There, now you really do look like a beautiful bride." Naruto told her. "Well except for one thing." He said before he reached up into the tree and picked a cherry blossom and then tied it into her hair. "There! Perfect!" he exclaimed with a giggle as Sakura smiled back at him while Sasuke smiled at her. Then before he knew it, Naruto found himself inside a tight embrace as she flung her arms around him tightly. Naruto closed his eyes and hugged her back deepening the embrace before they finally broke out of it a few minutes later.

"Say, what are we standing around here for?" Naruto questioned. "Race you back to the car." He told her. "First one there gets to ride shotgun." He told her as the two of them exchanged grins.

"And the last one there is a rotten egg!" Sakura exclaimed before they took off running and laughing while Sasuke smiled at them while he watched them before he stifled a laugh and shook his head and then started walking away.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen; Only Human

 **A quick note; I didn't realize that I had a made a goof about Sasuke's and Sakura's future daughter (which she will finally be introduced in the next chapter) liking Boruto until I realized that makes them cousins. However, that's actually not an uncommon thing in Japan as I recently read so hopefully since Naruto and Sakura aren't full blood siblings anyway, you'll overlook it. I hope you're enjoying the story so far and I hope you'll stick around and enjoy the rest of it.**

The next morning Sasuke woke up to his beautiful fiancée sound asleep inside his arms. He smiled down at her and softly kissed the top of her head as she rested it upon his chest. A few minutes later she woke up with a great big yawn and stretch. Sasuke continued smiling at her before giving her a quick morning kiss on the lips. "Well, look who's finally awake." He began with a grin. "So, how did you sleep?" he asked her.

"Great. I've never slept better in my life." She told him.

"Hn." He began with a grin. "It's probably because you know that tomorrow is our wedding day." He told her.

"Yeah I know, I can't believe that it's tomorrow." She said.

"Yep, then you'll finally have the Uchiha crest added on your back." He told her.

"I can't." she began smiling warmly at him. "I love you so much Sasuke and I've always had. And I always will." She told him.

"I love you too." He told her before they both closed their eyes and leaned in towards each other exchanging passionate kisses. That's when suddenly the phone rang. "Perfect timing." He said sarcastically.

"It's probably Naruto." Sakura said with a groan before Sasuke got out of bed and put on his robe to answer the phone. Sure enough, her hunch was correct.

"Hey Sasuke!" Naruto exclaimed excitedly.

"What do you want!?" Sasuke cried reluctantly.

"Just to let you know about some great news." Naruto said.

"You're moving?" Sasuke questioned him eagerly.

"No silly! Just to wish you congratulations on your official future nephew." Naruto told him.

"What!?" Sasuke exclaimed excitedly as Naruto laughed.

"Hinata had the baby, it turns out that you and Boruto were right all along. It's a boy." He said.

"Really!? Wow, that's great! What's his name?" Sasuke wondered.

"Hokori. You and Sakura should come down to the hospital to meet him. Boruto Himawari and I are already here." Naruto replied proudly.

"Alright, thanks, I'll let Sakura know." Sasuke told him.

"Alright, I'll see you later buddy. Love ya both." Naruto said.

"Thanks, same here. Goodbye." Sasuke told him before they both hung up the phone. That's when suddenly Sakura entered the room.

"What was that all about?" she asked him before he turned around to look at her.

"Hinata had the baby. It's a boy and his name is Hokori." He told her.

"Aww,.. that's so cute! I've always loved that name." she said. "Does Hinata feel up to any visitors?" she inquired.

"Yeah, Naruto just invited us down there. I take it you want to go then." He said with a grin.

"Of course! I'm dying to meet my new adorable little nephew!" she exclaimed excitedly.

"Me too." Sasuke admitted. "Although I feel kind of bad for Himawari though, it looks like she's going to be the only female Uzumaki." He said.

"Yeah, on one hand she'll be outnumbered. But on the other hand she'll have two brothers that will love her like crazy." Sakura said.

"Well, I'll go ahead and make breakfast, then I'll shower and get dressed so we can go down to the hospital." Sasuke said before he turned around and walked into the kitchen.

 _…._

Naruto was there to greet Sasuke and Sakura in the hospital lobby. He was holding Himawari inside his arms while Boruto grabbed ahold of his hand and started dragging him away. "Wait a minute buddy! Not so fast!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Hn." Sasuke said placing both hands upon his ribs before bending down and swooping the little boy up inside his arms. "Do you need a hand?" he questioned him.

"Yes thanks Sasuke, I greatly appreciate it." Naruto told him while Sasuke placed Boruto at his hip.

"I want to go see Hokori." He said.

"I know. That's where we're going right now." Sasuke told him.

"Hinata's room is this way." Naruto begun. "Follow me." He told them before he turned around and led them away.

 _…._

"Knock knock." Naruto began wrapping his fist upon Hinata's door before slowly opening it and grinning over at his wife. "You have some visitors in to see you." He told her before everyone entered the room. Hinata looked up at smiled at them while Hokori continued sucking from her nipple.

"Oh come on in everyone." She said when suddenly Himawari pointed her finger over at the baby boy.

"Baby!" she exclaimed excitedly as Naruto grinned at her before kissing her cheek.

"That's right princess. That's your new baby brother." He told her as a wide grin stretched across Sakura's face.

"Yep, you're a big sister now." She told her.

" _I_ want to see him!" Boruto hollered impatiently.

"Hold your horses, I'm taking you over to see him now." Sasuke told him before carrying him over towards the bed. Boruto peered down upon the baby who was still busy suckling his milk.

"He's got black hair like Mommy and Himawari do." Boruto observed. That's when suddenly he finished eating and gave a rather loud belch. Hinata giggled.

"I know and he's got your eyes." She told him.

"And not to mention gas." Naruto pointed out.

"I know, Hokori is quite the natural burper." Hinata said.

"Can I hold him?" Sakura asked her.

"Sure." Hinata responded before she handed the baby over to her. Sakura sat down beside her on the bed while she cuddled her nephew inside her arms before glancing up at Naruto who was smiling down at her.

"Oh I'm sorry Naruto, did you get a chance to hold him yet?" she wondered.

"Oh yeah, I was the first person to hold him actually. I cut the cord and then I handed him over to Hinata so that he could eat. And _boy_ was he hungry." Naruto said as the baby started falling asleep inside Sakura's arms.

"Well we should probably go so that he can get some sleep." Sasuke said.

"Okay, see you both tomorrow at the wedding!" Naruto exclaimed excitedly while Sakura handed Hokori back to his mother before she got back up onto her feet and followed Sasuke out the door.

 _…_

"Well this is it buddy. Today's the day." Naruto said while Sasuke examined himself in the mirror as he tied his tie.

"Yeah I know. I hardly got any sleep last night because of it. Sakura wouldn't let me." He told him.

"Well you can't really blame her, she's excited and she should be. It's pretty much the happiest day of her life." Naruto said.

"Hey Naruto, can I ask you a huge favor?" Sasuke inquired.

"Yeah, sure buddy, what is it?" Naruto questioned him before Sasuke took a deep breath and sighed heavily.

"Well, I can't believe I'm saying this but considering I don't have a father or any other family members, I was just wondering if you and Hinata would consider taking part in the ceremony with me." He told him and that's when Naruto suddenly found himself speechless.

"What?" he finally managed to say.

"Look, whether I like it or not you're my best friend and the closest thing that I have to a brother right now." Sasuke replied before he sadly hung his head. "If it wasn't for me Itachi would still be here." He told him.

"Listen Sasuke, that happened a long time ago. You've really got to stop blaming yourself for that." Naruto told him.

"Listen, even though you and Sakura might have forgiven me for all the stupid mistakes I made doesn't mean that I have. Do you know how hard it is waking up in the morning beside the woman that you love so much more than your life even and knowing that you were the one who put her in danger?" he questioned him. "It fuckin kills me." He muttered before breathing a sad sigh and sniffing quickly rubbing his eyes hoping that Naruto wouldn't notice that he had tears in his eyes.

"Hey, it's alright. You shouldn't be acting like this on your wedding day." Naruto told him before he smiled warmly at him. "If Sakura loves you enough to forgive you, then you should be able to forgive yourself. After all, she did say yes remember?" he said.

"Thanks Naruto." Sasuke told him and before he knew it, Naruto felt Sasuke's arms wrapping around him and embracing him tightly with another sniff.

"Wow Sasuke I can't believe it. _You_ actually hugged _me_ for a change." Naruto said a couple of moments later after they broke out of the embrace.

"Yeah, well, I told you not to get too used to it. But you've just got to remember one thing." Sasuke told him.

"And what's that?" Naruto wondered before Sasuke just simply smiled at him.

"I'm only human."

 _I'm so sorry that it's been a few days but I've been sick. Anyway, thanks for the great review and I'll update whenever I can. I promise._


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen; A New Clan Member

 _I know I said that Sasame would be introduced in this chapter but I'm sorry I'm pushed for time so I'll try to get to her part tomorrow. By the way, this is a very touching chapter._

That day was the happiest day in Sasuke's and Sakura's life. Sakura tied a bright red rose inside of Sasuke's jacket while he gazed passionately into her eyes and smiled at her. Both of their eyes sparkled while the ceremony took place. After the purification ritual and they each took turns drinking their sake, (Naruto drank some as well being accepted as a member of his clan) exchanged vows and wedding rings Sakura finally heard the words that she had been waiting for years to hear.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." Naruto, Hinata, Kushina, Kizashi, and Mebuki smiled as the two newlyweds closed their eyes and kissed each other passionately.

 _….._

"Alright, well now we're all unpacked." Sasuke said before heaving a heavy sigh and plopping down on the couch. "I'm not lifting another thing until it's time to go on our honeymoon." He said.

"Uh Sasuke, aren't you forgetting something?" Sakura inquired before Sasuke glanced up at her. "I'm the bride, you're supposed to carry me over the threshold remember?" she questioned him with a grin. "It's the rules." She told him.

"Cherry, you're talking to an ex rogue ninja. Do you really think I abide by the rules?" he questioned her back.

"Huh?" she asked him widening her eyes.

"I said do you really think that I would follow the rules?" he repeated but she quickly shook her head at him.

"No, not that. You called me Cherry." She told him.

"Well that's what Sakura means doesn't it? Cherry blossom. Besides, considering the fact that we're married now I thought that it was about time that I gave you a nickname. I mean if you don't like it I could always call you an annoying brat instead." He teased playfully.

"No, I love it. It's perfect." She told him with a warm and an affectionate smile before she slowly hung her head. "But I still really wish you would carry me." She told him before he rolled his eyes and quickly got to his feet.

"Fine. But don't expect me to be happy about it." He said before he slowly walked over to her and turned around before squatting down in front of her. "Hop on before I change my mind." He told her before she let out an amused little giggle.

"You know what? You're lucky I love you Sasuke and that you're so freaking adorable sometimes." She told him.

"That's funny. I was just about to tell you the same thing. Now are you getting on or not because I'm exhausted. Not to mention that I want to have plenty of energy tonight." He told her glancing over with a grin before she quickly shook her head at him again.

"Uh never mind, I'll just walk instead." She told him with a wave of her arms as he continued to grin at her.

"I figured that you might change your mind after receiving that bit of information. After all, if I have to restore my clan anyway, I better do it with the woman I love. By the way, I have a surprise for you." He told her before he wrapped his arms around her, kissed her cheek and then covered her eyes. "Come on, this way." He told her before leading her back into the bedroom. "Alright, now." He said quickly removing his hands and Sakura finally caught sight of what laid out on the bed.

It was a red top with the Uchiha fan on the back of it. "It's all yours now that you're an Uchiha. Our children will get one of their own too." He explained.

"I,.. I don't know what to say." Sakura said.

"Hn. Well you could always try thank you." Sasuke told her.

"Of course." Sakura began with a nod. "I mean thank you Sasuke I really appreciate it. I just never thought I would get a chance in wearing the Uchiha fan." She said.

"Well you're my wife now aren't you? That means that you're a part of my clan by marriage. It's a tradition that everyone in that family receives the privilege." He told her before he grew silent for a moment. "You know what, why don't you try it on and make sure that it fits. I'll be right back." He said before he turned around and started heading towards the door.

"Where are you going Sasuke?" Sakura asked him before he suddenly turned back around to look at her. "I'm going to pay your brother a visit. I'll be back soon." He told her before he exited the room.

 _"Huh, that's odd. I wonder what Sasuke's up to."_ Sakura thought to herself widening her eyes and raising her eyebrows.

 _…_

"Alright Yoshi, go get it boy!" Naruto exclaimed before he threw his dog's favorite rubber green ball a crossed the yard for him to fetch. The dog chased after it and then stopped and lifted his head, perking up his ears and wagging his tail as he saw Sasuke walking down the street. He quickly grabbed the ball inside his mouth and raced over to Sasuke dropping it down at his feet and then jumping up on him with an excited bark.

"Yoshi no! Bad dog, get down!" Naruto cried but Sasuke simply just laughed.

"Relax, he's alright. He's just happy to see me that's all." He assured him giving Yoshi's head a pat before the dog jumped back down on all fours and whimpered glancing down at the ball and then back up at Sasuke. "Fine, but just this one time. Then I need to talk to your master." He said before he squatted down in front of him and picked up the ball. "Is this what you wanted buddy?" he questioned him as Yoshi gave another excited bark and continued to wag his tail.

"Alright, then you better go get it." He told him before slowly rising back to his feet and throwing the ball a crossed the street before the dog eagerly chased after it. Sasuke chuckled to himself before heading up the driveway.

"Who knew that you were so great with animals?" Naruto questioned him smiling warmly at him.

"Nobody. Because I'm not. I don't like animals. I only like dogs,.. and you." He said.

"Hey!" Naruto cried indignantly before Sasuke laughed again.

"Well strictly speaking we are animals you know. I mean we're not plants or minerals." He told him.

"Yeah but you know as well as I do that you meant that as an insult." Naruto pointed out.

"Yeah, but I was only joking." Sasuke replied.

"What are you doing here anyway? I thought that you would want to be spending some time alone with Sakura now that you're officially man and wife." Naruto said.

"I do trust me. But I just remembered that I forgot to give you something." He began before he tossed a shirt over to him. "Here." He said. "I hope it fits since I didn't really know your size." Sasuke admitted as Naruto looked down at the shirt in front of him and held it out. It was a blue shirt with the Uchiha fan on the back of it.

"What's this for?" he questioned him with uncertainty.

"It's yours. You earned it." Sasuke told him.

"But,.. I'm not an Uchiha." Naruto said.

"You don't have to be. It doesn't matter what's in your blood. If it did, Sakura wouldn't be either. The only thing that matters is that you're my best friend and I couldn't be prouder of you if you were my own brother. You deserve to have that shirt, because you're a member of my family and you never gave up on me. As far as I'm concerned, you are an Uchiha." Sasuke told him.

"Do you, do you really mean that?" Naruto questioned him as Sasuke silently nodded at him. "Thanks Sasuke." He said as a tear rolled down his cheek while he watched as Sasuke turned around and walked back down the driveway and off into the distance.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen; Home Again

Sakura was busy singing along to her favorite Jpop song while Sasuke drove down the highway. They had just gotten back from their trip from Ireland. That's when suddenly Sasuke's cellphone rang. "Hey Cherry, could you keep it down for a second? I think it's Naruto calling." He said while he turned down the radio as Sakura stopped singing. Then he steadied the wheel with one hand while digging inside his pocket with the other hand.

He also slowed down and allowed another car to pass him before accelerating again. "Hello?" he answered.

"Hey Sasuke, where are you guys right now?" Naruto wondered.

"Actually I'm glad you called because we're about ten miles away from your house but I wasn't really sure if we should go there or to the hokage's mansion." Sasuke replied.

"Oh you can come over to our house. Since I knew that you guys were coming back today I asked for the day off work." Naruto told him.

"Ok, thanks. I'll see you soon." He said.

"How was the trip?" Naruto asked him.

"It was great." Sasuke began putting his foot back on the brake and slowing down again before hitting his turn signal and turning onto the exit. "I'll tell you all about it when we get there." He told him as he finally came to a complete stop behind another car.

"Alright buddy, I can't wait to hear about it. Love you." Naruto said.

"Love you too, goodbye." Sasuke told him while he hung up the phone and stored it back inside his pocket before he suddenly realized that Sakura was giving him that look. "What!? He's my brother just as much as he is yours." He told her. "That sounded better in my head actually." He added before Sakura giggled.

"Oh Sasuke, when did you start going so soft?" she asked him as he just simply smiled at her.

"The day I fell in love with you. And trust me that's probably a good thing considering I used to be such a bastard." He told her before the light turned green again, he stepped on the gas pedal and drove away.

 _…_

Sasuke parked his car in Naruto's driveway before they both got out of it. That's when suddenly Sakura found herself rather dizzy. "Are you alright Sakura?" Sasuke asked her anxiously out of concern.

"Yeah, I think I'm just feeling a little carsick." She replied.

"Really? That's funny. I don't remember you ever getting motion sickness before. And you were fine on the plane." He told her.

"Don't worry. I should be fine once I start moving around a little bit." She reassured him. That's when suddenly Naruto rushed outside to greet them.

"Sasuke! Sakura!" he exclaimed excitedly throwing his arms around them. Sakura just breathed a deep and heavy sad sigh before hanging her head.

"Hey Naruto." She replied.

"Hey Sakura are you ok?" he asked her out of concern.

"She told me that she isn't feeling too well." Sasuke explained.

"Oh really? Then maybe you should come inside and get a drink of water or something." Naruto suggested before he led them to the door. Instead of Yoshi there to greet them like he usually was Himawari was there instead running around the house without a diaper on as her mother chased her. "I'm sorry that you had to see that. Hinata and I started potty training her." He said. "Go ahead and sit down." He told them before he led them over to the couch.

Sasuke laid down and Sakura cuddled up against his chest and rested her head upon it. Sasuke kissed the top of it before Yoshi suddenly trotted over to them wagging his tail and sniffing her. Himawari finally decided to stand still long enough for her mother to capture her. "Come on sweetheart," Hinata began scooping her daughter up inside her arms. "It's time to let Mommy put your diaper back on your little tooshie." She told her.

"No!" she cried indignantly as she broke into sobs while her mother carried her away as tears started streaming down her cheeks. Sasuke laughed. "That's a two year old for you." He said as Naruto grinned.

"I know. That's one of her favorite words." He told him.

"Well I can't say I envy you." Sasuke began. "Don't get me wrong, I love all three of your children dearly, but I can't possibly even imagine what it must be like for you having to raise three kids under seven." He told him as Sakura breathed another deep and heavy sigh before he placed another soft kiss on the top of her head.

"Well, it's not easy, I mean our house pretty much smells like dog and diapers." Naruto began as Yoshi sat back down and started scratching himself behind the ear. "But I'd be lying to you if I told you that it wasn't worth it." He said when all of a sudden Hokori began to cry. Yoshi quickly leapt back up onto his feet and started to whimper. Meanwhile Naruto leapt up about a foot in the air. "Well,.." he began sticking a finger in his ear and then twisting it. "Sounds like somebody's awake." He said before he turned off the baby monitor.

"I guess that means that I'll have to empty him out before I go ahead and fill him back up again." He said before he turned around and started heading down the hallway. Yoshi continued whimpering before he started following him. "Ah it's alright boy." Naruto reassured him soothingly while gently stroking his head. "Hokori's going to be just fine, trust me." He told him before they continued walking down the hall together. That's when suddenly Sakura gave another groan.

"Are you sure that you're alright?" Sasuke asked her worriedly. "Do you want to go home instead?"

"Actually that sounds like a good idea." She replied. "What about Naruto and Hinata though?"

"Don't worry. I'm sure that they'll understand." He began while slowly rising to his feet. "Besides, right now your health is the most important thing." He told her. That's when suddenly Naruto reentered the living room carrying Hokori. "Hey Sasuke could you hold him for a second?" he asked him even though he didn't even give him a chance to answer him.

"Thanks buddy you're the best." Naruto said before placing the infant inside his arms.

"But,.. I,.." Sasuke began. "And don't worry Sakura I haven't forgotten your glass of water. I'll get it for you while I'm heating up the little guy's bottle." Naruto told her before she quickly got to her feet.

"Uh thanks Naruto but actually Sasuke and I were just going to leave." She told him.

"Oh." Naruto replied.

"I'm sorry." Sakura apologized sheepishly.

"No it's alright, I completely understand. I hope you feel better Sakura." Naruto told her as Hinata entered the room and Sasuke turned around and handed the baby over to her while Boruto and Himawari played on the floor together.

"Thanks Naruto." She told him before she said her goodbyes and then went out the door with Sasuke following along behind her.

 _I'm sorry that I didn't update yesterday, I've been having sinus and ear problems that have been slowing down my writing. I'm still trying to update as much as I can and whenever I can though. Sasame's character will be introduced eventually and I'm HOPING by the next chapter where she'll make her dramatic appearance. I really appreciate all your patience though, I'm feeling a lot better today and hopefully I'll be back to normal soon._


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen; Watch Out For Mister Stork

 _I also forgot to mention that this story is the first one in the trilogy meaning of course that there will be two more sequels. Anyway, here's the next chapter and I hope all of you are enjoying it so far! Here's where it starts getting pretty exciting!_

 _Ps. I am SO sorry! I am almost a hundred percent better now and being the Sasusaku shipper that I am, I am completely devastated that I haven't written anything in a few days but unfortunately, I was sick and it stunk really, really bad. So yeah, I'm sorry if you've been feeling the same way and for the delay but like I said, everything is nearly back to normal. I've also been watching Naruto nonstop since I was sick lol. But since this is still summertime I probably will still be busy outside and stuff but like I said, I'll try to update whenever I can._

 _Just a little heads up though August 18th, 19th, and 20th there won't be any updates due to the fact that I'll be visiting some relatives and doing quite a few fun stuff with them. That isn't for a while though._

The next morning a very concerned Sasuke decided that he needed to make an urgent phone call. "Hello?" he heard the familiar voice of his friend Naruto respond after he picked up. "Hey." Sasuke began.

"Hey, you know this is a first you actually calling me instead of the other way around." Naruto told him.

"I'm sorry but I had to because I was really worried about Sakura." Sasuke explained while Sakura busily vomited in the toilet in the background.

"Yikes you're right, she sounds terrible." Naruto said.

"I know and she hardly got any sleep and her temperature was over a hundred degrees last night." Sasuke told him.

"Well maybe she should go see a doctor." Naruto suggested.

"She _is_ a doctor!" Sasuke cried frantically.

"Alright Sasuke calm down!" Naruto began. "Besides, she's not that _kind_ of a doctor." He told him. "Now I realize that this might seem like a strange question and sorry if it's a little personal, but is she regular?" he wondered.

"Yes." Sasuke replied. "And believe me I should know. Sometimes when I start getting a little too horny she puts up that little red flag and stops me." He told him.

"Well alright then, so ask her already!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Ask her what? Has she missed a period? Can you even begin to understand how awkward that would sound?" Sasuke questioned him.

"Very awkward, I admit. But how else are you going to find out whether or not she's pregnant?" Naruto asked him and then suddenly as if on que, Sakura flushed the toilet and then came out of the bathroom. Sasuke turned his head over to look at her before he gaped his mouth wide open.

"I'm sorry Naruto, but I'm going to have to call you back." He told him before he hung up. Then he returned his focus over to Sakura. "How much of that did you overhear?" he asked her. "None of it." Sakura replied. "Why?" she asked him while he pondered over how he was going to explain it to her. "Sasuke, what's going on? Why do you have such a worried look on your face?" she asked him before he took a deep breath and sighed heavily.

"Look, I can't believe I'm asking you this but did you miss your period this month?" he inquired.

"Yeah actually now that you've come to mention it and it's really strange considering that I never do." She told him.

"That settles it. I'm going to make you an appointment to go and see the doctor." He told her.

 _…_

"Alright Sakura, just lay back so I can check you." The doctor told her as she obeyed while her husband kept watch. "Uh what exactly are you looking for?" she wondered although she felt incredibly stupid for asking.

"A pregnancy sack." The doctor replied before lining her belly with transmission gel. Sakura shuddered at how cold the temperature was. Sasuke patiently watched the screen as his wife was scanned. "Aha!" the doctor suddenly exclaimed before she pointed at the screen. "You see that tiny black dot right there?" she questioned her.

"Yeah?" Sakura questioned her back.

"Well that means Sasuke's clan will be restored after all. Congratulations." She said as Sasuke lifted his chin and grinned proudly.

"Hn." He said before Sakura turned her head and smiled at him.

"Oh Sasuke!" she whispered with a gasp of astonishment. "Did you hear that? We're going to be parents."

"Yeah, I know." He told her.

"Are you alright Sasuke? You don't seem all that excited about it." She noticed.

"Oh trust me, just because I'm not jumping up and down and screaming about it like Naruto would be I am." He assured her. "I just hope for our clan's sake that the baby is a boy." He said.

"Really? Why's that?" Sakura asked him widening her eyes at him.

"I need the Uchiha name to live on after I die." He began before he grinned. "But considering there has never been a female Uchiha born before, I don't think that I have anything to worry about." He said.

"Never?" Sakura questioned him with uncertainty and disbelief.

"No. The only female Uchihas that came into the family were married into it like you." He told her.

"Wow, that's kind of amazing and hard to believe considering how old the Uchiha name is." She said.

"I know, but it's true and it's better like that since we have pretty good odds of it being a boy. Especially since I'm the last of my kind." He said before he turned around and left the room.

 _"Boy, I hope Sasuke won't be too disappointed if our baby does turn out to be a girl."_ Sakura thought to herself as she watched him go.

 **Nine Months Later…**

Sakura (who was now heavily pregnant) happily walked down to the mailbox carrying thank you cards to send out in the mail for her baby shower presents. Just as soon as she opened the mailbox Naruto walked down the street. "Hey Sakura, how's the little guy doing?" he asked her while he bent down and touched her belly while smiling warmly at it.

"Oh Naruto, you're as bad as Sasuke is. What has you so convinced that it's a boy?" she asked him.

"Well it's like Sasuke said isn't it? There's never been a female Uchiha ever born before." Naruto pointed out before he slowly stood back up.

"So? That doesn't mean that we won't have the first." Sakura said. "Besides, I'm sure that even if it was a girl Sasuke would love her anyway. The only reason that he wants a boy is because he is really concerned about his clan ending with him." She explained. "And who could really blame him anyway after all the poor guy's been through." She told him.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Naruto began. "So did you guys come up with any names yet?" he wondered.

"No, not yet." Sakura replied. "Although, I have to admit, I sort of like the name Sasame for a girl." She told him with a grin.

"Hmm,.. Sasame…" Naruto began. "Hey, wasn't she that girl who had a cousin that joined Orochimaru or something?" he questioned her.

"Yes, but she pronounced her name differently. I like to pronounce it a little different because I think that it sounds closer to Sasuke." She explained. That's when all of a sudden Sasuke stepped out the front door and started walking down the driveway towards them.

"Hey, speak of the devil." Naruto said with a grin and tiny little mischievous chuckle as Sasuke groaned.

"What are you doing here Naruto?" he questioned him before Naruto scratched his head and continued to grin at him.

"It's pretty funny that you should ask that question actually." He began. "Two reasons, first of all I wanted to show you how good I look in that T-shirt that you gave me, and second of all I wanted to see if you guys wanted to go camping with me this weekend." He told him.

"No." Sasuke began with a shake of his head. "Sakura's with child and she could go into labor at any second." He told him.

"Oh come on Sasuke, the baby's not due until next week." Sakura said before Naruto put a tight brotherly arm around him while he just simply scowled back at him.

"Yeah come on Sasuke, where's your sense of adventure?" he questioned him.

"Don't you remember what happened the last time we went camping together? You wouldn't let any of us get any sleep." Sasuke told him while narrowing his eyebrows and glaring at him. "Now get off of me!" he exclaimed before Naruto crossed his arms angrily at him.

"Well yeah but only because that was your own fault! You're the one who scared me half to death about that stupid ghost story!" he snapped.

"I hate to admit it but he's got a point." Sakura said.

"Let me put this another way, I'm not going!" Sasuke snapped back before Naruto breathed a deep and heavy sad sigh and hung his head.

"Alright, I understand." He said sadly. "It's just that ever since you and Sakura got married I've felt like we haven't had all that much time to spend together." He said as Sasuke suddenly took a deep breath.

"Naruto look," he began when all of a sudden Naruto perked up.

"Feeling guilty?" he questioned him eagerly.

"Was but I'm over it." Sasuke replied.

"Alright then,.." Naruto began heaving another deep and heavy sad sigh. "I guess I'll go and leave you guys alone." He said slowly hanging his head again and turning around. "This is me leaving." He said while Sasuke continued watching him. "All alone, by myself." He said as Sasuke growled since he was starting to lose his patience. "Just a sad and lonely_" he began before Sasuke decided that he had finally had enough.

"Oh alright already! We can go camping if you swear to me that you'll just shut up!" he hollered before Naruto quickly hurried back over to him and embraced him tightly.

"Great! I knew that you'd understand!" he cried before quickly letting him go again. "I'll see you later buddy, I'm going to go home and pack!" he exclaimed before speeding away again.

"This is going to be a _fun_ weekend." Sasuke said sarcastically. "Remind me again, why I did I let him join our family?" he wondered as he turned over to look at his wife.

"Because you know that no matter how annoying Naruto can be that deep down you love him anyway." She told him as he suddenly smiled warmly at her.

"Yeah I guess you're right. Naruto might be a pain but the truth is I would be lost without him. And I guess I'm sort of looking forward to spending some time with him." He admitted as she smiled back at him. "Just don't tell him I said that. He would never let me hear the end of it." He told her before she let out a giggle.

"I won't I promise." She assured him before she let out a sudden gasp and placed her hand on top of her stomach.

"Are you alright? What happened?" he asked her anxiously.

"Don't worry Sasuke I'm fine. I just felt the baby kick me that's all." She told him.

"You know a part of me still thinks that it's a bad idea letting you come camping with us. I really think that you should stay home and get some rest." He told her.

"It's alright Sasuke, I'll be just fine. I want to come, honest." She reassured him.

"Well alright, just promise me that you'll be careful." He told her as she nodded slightly at him.

"I will. I promise." She told him.

"Alright come on, let's go back inside." He told her before he turned around and walked away.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen; The Camping Trip

"Alright, that's it." Sasuke began before he slammed the trunk shut. "We're all packed." He said before he turned over to look at Naruto. "Are you sure you know where you're going?" he questioned.

"Yeah, of course. Hinata and I have been to Camp Chickadee many times with the kids." Naruto assured him.

"Ok then we'll follow you." Sasuke told him before he pushed the unlock button. "We have to stop for gas along the way though." He said.

"Oh really why's that? You always seem to have plenty of it whenever we're together." Naruto told him.

"Just get in the car!" Sasuke snapped.

"Okay, okay, I was just joking. Don't have a cow." Naruto told him before he turned around and started walking towards his car. Sasuke heaved a heavy sigh and shook his head.

"Sometimes I wonder how a guy like Naruto even got his license in the first place." He said as Sakura giggled.

"Oh come on Sasuke, he said he was just joking you should really learn to get a sense of humor. Besides, he's sort of right you know." Sakura told him with a grin.

"Oh really? What is that supposed to mean?" he asked her.

"Well, I notice that you pass gas a lot in your sleep and let me tell you it's not a freshly scented aroma." She told him.

"Yeah, well at least I don't snore." He said before he started walking towards the driver's side. "Come on, let's go." He said.

"Right behind you." She told him with a grin while she hurried over to the passenger's side. "Phew," she began breathing heavily. "This isn't as easy as it used to be since I've got all this extra weight on me now." She said before she pulled the door open and climbed inside. Then she quickly slammed it behind her before putting on her seatbelt as Sasuke sat down inside the driver's seat and then put on his own before shutting the door behind him. After that he placed his key inside the ignition and turned on the engine. He waited until Naruto had backed out of the driveway before he backed out of it himself and drove away.

 _…._

Sasuke pulled into the gas station behind Naruto before he got out of the car. "What are you doing here?" he questioned as Naruto climbed out of his own car.

"Well I figured that as long as we were stopping here anyway I would fill up my tank as well. That is as soon as I'm finished using the john." He said before he turned around and walked away. Sasuke watched him go before he grabbed ahold of the pump and started filling up his own tank. That's when suddenly he overheard a conversation that a couple of other guys were having.

"Did you see that guy that just went inside? He had an Uchiha crest on his back." One of the men said.

"Really? That was the seventh hokage from the village hidden in the leaves. I didn't know that he was an Uchiha." The other man said. "Just wait until we tell Lord Orochimaru." He finished as Sasuke gasped before he quickly darted over to them without thinking and grabbed ahold of the man by the neck and thrusted him up against the wall.

"What do you want with Naruto?" he questioned him.

"Nothing,.. I swear! Lord Orochimaru is the one who wants him!" he exclaimed while struggling to remove Sasuke's hand off of his throat.

"Well you can tell him that he can't have him! If you ever lay a finger on him I'll kill you or anyone else for that matter." He told him.

"I know you, you're Sasuke Uchiha." The first man began. "What exactly does Naruto mean to you anyway?" he asked him.

"Everything. He's my brother and I swore to him that I would protect him with my life. He's the only thing I've got left besides Sakura and there's no way in hell I'm going to lose him." He told him.

"Sakura? Sakura Haruno?" he inquired widening his eyes at him. "Isn't she that other old teammate of yours?" he asked.

"Yes except now she's my wife. And if you ever go near her or Naruto then you'll be sorry that you were ever born." Sasuke threatened glaring at him with his sharingan eye.

"Alright, we won't bother him I swear! Just let me go!" the other man cried.

"Hn." Sasuke said before he quickly let go of him and watched him drop to the ground.

"Come on Hideaki, let's get out of here!" he exclaimed before Sasuke watched them run away. That's when suddenly Naruto walked back outside.

"Hey Sasuke, what happened? What are you doing over here?" he asked him.

"Nothing. I was just stretching my legs. Come on, let's get out of here." Sasuke replied. "And keep close to me." He told him.

"But_" Naruto began.

"Just do it!" Sasuke hollered at him while he felt his heart pounding frantically inside his chest.

"Sasuke? What's going on?" Naruto asked him before he took a deep breath and sighed heavily before staring down at the ground.

"Nothing. I'm sorry, I guess I'm just a little worried about Sakura. Anyway, let's just get back to the parking lot." He told him before he turned around and started walking away as Naruto watched him from afar scratching his head.

 _"Huh? That was strange. I wonder what made him suddenly flip out like that."_ He thought to himself before he walked over to Sakura who was standing out in front of their car. "Hey Sakura, I'm worried about your husband. He's acting really weird even for him." He told her when she suddenly gasped before she slowly turned her head away from him.

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about it too much Naruto. I'm sure he's just anxious about being a father and everything." She told him.

"Yeah, I know, that's what he just got finished telling me. But I really think that there's something else bothering him." He said.

"Don't worry Naruto, I'll talk to him about it alright?" she reassured him with a warm and happy smile in which he returned.

"Well alright, I just really hope that he's okay. He's my best friend after all and he's like a brother to me." He told her.

"He will be, trust me." She told him before he turned around and walked away just as Sasuke was walking over to her with a sad and solemn look upon his face and then breathed a sad and heavy sigh. "I saw what happened." She told him. "Naruto's really lucky having you around to watch out for him like that." She said.

"I know. I'm just afraid that something will happen to him when I'm not looking and then I'm not sure if I'd ever be able to forgive myself." He told her.

"It's alright Sasuke, Naruto became hokage for a reason. He's always been strong ever since we were kids. I'm sure that he'll be able to take care of himself." She told him as he continued gazing at her sadly.

"I sure hope you're right. Promise me something though Sakura." He began as she nodded at him in response.

"Yeah, sure, anything. What is it?" she asked him back.

"Promise me that you won't tell Naruto. This camping trip means the world to him and I don't want to worry him or upset him about this. I couldn't bear to see him all shaken up." He told her as she nodded again.

"I will, I promise. You really do love him and care about him don't you? I can see it in your eyes. I don't think I've seen you look like that since you told me what happened to Itachi." She said.

"Hai. Naruto means the world to me. In fact I don't think he'll ever know just how much I care." He said before he turned around and started walking to the driver's side again as Sakura felt a tear roll down her cheek while she lowered her head.

"I might have promised Sasuke that I wouldn't tell Naruto about Lord Orochimaru, but I didn't promise him that I wouldn't tell him just exactly he really feels about him and I've got to find a way to do it. He has to know, Sasuke loves him _so_ much. In fact even though it's in a different way, I'm guessing that he loves him just as much as he loves me." She whispered to herself.

"Sakura, are you coming?" Sasuke questioned her before she looked back up in his direction.

"Yes! I'm coming!" she exclaimed before she raced over to the passenger door.

 _.….._

Sasuke followed Naruto's car into the woods. "Umm,.. hey Sasuke, there isn't any wild animals in here or anything is there?" Sakura questioned him anxiously before he put his foot on the brake and brought the car to a complete stop before glancing over at her with a grin.

"Hn." He began. "What makes you say that? You're not scared or anything are you?" he asked her but she just simply folded her arms and turned up her nose at him.

"Ha! Of course not! What kind of question is that!? Me, afraid to sleep outside in the woods!? Just exactly who do you think I am, Naruto?" she inquired. _"Who am I kidding, I am totally terrified!"_ her inner self hollered.

"Good, because you already know that I would protect you with my life. You and Naruto are the most important people in the world to me. And soon to be a third person." He told her before he stepped on the gas again and accelerated. "We better go, Naruto is probably wondering where we are by now." He said before pulling into the parking lot. He stepped on the brake again and parked his car next to Naruto's. Then he turned off the engine and removed his keys before throwing off his seatbelt and taking his foot off the pedal.

"Come on let's go. I need a cigarette." He told her before she removed her own seatbelt and got out of the car. Naruto was already outside waiting for them.

"Hey guys, guess who I brought with me?" he questioned them before he opened the backseat and Yoshi leapt onto the ground wagging his tail.

"Yoshi!" Sakura exclaimed excitedly before she bent down to pet him while Sasuke grinned at her.

"I figured that the fresh air would do him some good." Naruto told her with a chuckle.

"You know Sasuke we should really get a dog or a puppy or something." Sakura told him.

"Maybe we will someday. Right now we already have our hands full enough as it is with a baby on the way. Not to mention the fact that we're also helping raising the Uzumaki children, and Naruto." He replied glancing over at him with a teasing grin.

"Hey what's the deal Sasuke, you make it seem like I'm a kid too or something?" he questioned him as Sasuke laughed.

"Well, I consider you my little brother so,.." he said before he dug his pack of cigarettes out of his pocket.

"Yeah but I'm still an adult too you know." Naruto began. "And by the way, since when do you smoke?" he asked him.

"Since I turned eighteen." Sasuke replied before he dug out one of his cigarettes with one hand and his lighter with the other hand.

"Huh, that's funny. I've never seen you smoke a cigarette in my life. Of course I never seen you having sex with Sakura either but obviously I know it probably happened more than once." He said.

"Obviously. Not that that's any of your business." Sasuke told him before Naruto stretched his arms out wide.

"Oh well, I guess I should probably start pitching my tent." He said. "Come on Yoshi, let's go." He told him as the dog trotted happily after him.

.. _…_

Sakura gazed up at the moon while a gentle breeze blew through her hair and the crickets chirped in the background. "Wow it's so beautiful out here." She whispered with a gasp of astonishment while Sasuke just simply grinned at her.

"Hn. I can't argue with you there." He told her before she turned her head over to look at him.

"Huh?" she questioned before she realized that he was talking about her. "No, I don't mean me silly. I'm talking about the sky. Look Sasuke, there are _so_ many stars out." She said while gazing back up at the sky. "And the moon looks bigger and closer than ever. Isn't it romantic?" she questioned him.

"Yeah, and now only one more thing could make it perfect." He told her before he turned her chin towards him and then they closed their eyes and started leaning in towards each other. That's when suddenly Naruto walked over to them and dumped a pile of sticks on the ground.

"Hey Sasuke do you think you can help a brother out here?" he asked him before Sakura shot her eyes open again and scowled.

"Well, so much for perfect." She said.

"What do you want loser?" Sasuke asked him reluctantly.

"Can't you light the fire? You know with your dragon breath or that thing you do." Naruto said as Sasuke groaned before taking a deep breath and then let it back out again.

"Fine." He said before he started making the hand signs and then shot a breath of fire at the wood. "Now go away and leave us alone. Sakura and I were just about to_" he began.

"I know! I know! You were about to make out or something right? What else is new? I'm sorry, I'm just the fifth wheel here don't mind me!" Naruto snapped before he turned around and walked away while Sakura just simply looked at Sasuke.

"What's that look for? You know I can't stand it when you look at me so innocently." He told her.

"Sasuke I really think you should talk to Naruto." She told him.

"What?" he questioned her back.

"Remember what you told me earlier? You told me that you didn't think he knew how much you cared about him. Well, how is he ever going to know unless you tell him?" she asked him before he turned his head around and watched as Naruto grabbed a stick off the ground and stuck a marshmallow on the tip of it before he turned to look back at her.

"You know, I really hate it when you're right." He told her. "Stay here, I'll be right back." He said before he turned around and walked away.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen; The Newest Uchiha

 _Alright this is it! Sasame makes her grand entrance in this chapter! How exciting!_

"Hey Naruto, can I talk to you for a second?" Sasuke asked him but he just simply scowled at him.

"Why, aren't you too busy with Sakura over there? She is your wife after all." He replied.

"Yes, that's true." Sasuke began. "But that doesn't mean that I don't love you." He told him as Naruto scoffed.

"Yeah right, I'm sorry but I'm having a real tough time believing that. How can you still love me if you don't even want to spend time with me anymore?" he asked him but Sasuke simply shook his head.

"I didn't mean it to come out like that. It's just that I was really concerned about Sakura. Naruto, look down at your shirt. If I didn't love you like you were my very own brother, I would have never accepted you as a member of my very own family. I mean yeah you get on my nerves all the time just like I'm sure I get on yours." He told him as Naruto scoffed again.

"You can say that again." He said.

"But I still love you. You are really precious to me and if something ever happened to you I don't know what I'd do. That's the true meaning of what a brother is. Sure they have their fights and have their times when they hate each other. But you are my best friend and I will always be there for you whenever you need me. After all, you were there for me when I didn't know I needed you." Sasuke said before he took a deep breath and sighed. "What you don't know is that I still do." He told him.

"Really Sasuke? Do you really mean that?" Naruto asked him as he nodded.

"Hai. I do." He told him before Naruto sat his stick down and then threw his arms around him and embraced him tightly.

"Well, I guess that means the feeling is mutual then because I need you too. And I'm so glad that you're here Sasuke." He said as Sasuke look unsure about the situation for a moment and taken aback before he closed his eyes and hugged him back.

"Always." He said as Sakura smiled while she watched them. Sasuke was even surprised at how much love he had for him inside his heart that beat steadily against his chest. A few moments later he opened them again and then they broke apart.

"Hey, I guess I never noticed this before but your sharingan glows in the dark." Naruto told him.

"Yeah, I can also use it during the day to block the sun." Sasuke responded.

"Well, don't let me hog the whole entire bag of marshmallows. You and Sakura can help yourself." Naruto told him and he had barely finished his sentence before Sakura came rushing over.

"Great Naruto I really thought that you would never ask." She said before she started cramming a bunch of marshmallows inside her mouth.

"Uh,.. are you trying to set a record or something?" Naruto asked her scratching his head with bewilderment. "I mean, I realize that you're eating for two but that doesn't mean that you have to eat the whole entire bag." He told her as Sasuke turned over to look at him and grinned.

"Ha! Now you know how Sakura and I feel when _you're_ the one who's always hogging all the food." He told him before all of a sudden Sakura dropped the bag of marshmallows on the ground and shrieked. Sasuke gasped with astonishment and then gaped his mouth wide open at her. "Sakura? What is it? What happened? Did the baby kick you again?" he asked her anxiously while feeling his heart pounding frantically against his chest before Sakura screamed again.

"Sakura? What's wrong?" Naruto asked her.

"I'm sorry Naruto, I realize that now's not the time for this but I do believe the baby's coming!" she cried.

"What!?" Naruto and Sasuke chorused together feeling their jaws nearly drop to the ground.

"What!? You can't be going into labor! You're a week early!" Naruto exclaimed.

"I'm sorry Naruto, I think my water just broke!" she told him.

"Oh shit!" Sasuke cried before Sakura collapsed onto the ground and he quickly caught her inside his arms. "It's alright Sakura, just continue breathing." He told her before planting a kiss on her forehead. "You're going to be just fine." He said before he glanced back up at his friend. "Naruto, I can't believe I'm saying this but you're going to have to help Sakura deliver the baby." He told him.

"What!? Sasuke have you gone crazy!? I've never delivered a baby before, I've never even delivered a _letter_ before!" he exclaimed.

"And neither have I. But I need to be here for Sakura so you're going to have to be in charge of the baby." Sasuke told him but he just quickly shook his head at him.

"But I can't!" he shouted before slowly hanging his head. "I'm scared." He told him in which Sasuke could tell that it was really hard for him to admit it.

"I know and so am I. But I was also scared coming back to Konohagakure because I wasn't sure whether or not that you and Sakura could truly forgive me and I was so afraid that I would end up hurting you again. But you proved me wrong Naruto and you were always there whenever I needed you just like I told you before. And I really need you right now." He told him.

"Sasuke's right Naruto, you can do this! We believe in you Naruto!" Sakura cried as Naruto took a deep breath and sighed heavily before slowly looking back down at them.

"Alright. I'll do it for you and the baby." He agreed. "Although I'm not really a hundred percent sure what I'm doing but I'll try my best because you both are so important to me. You're my friends." He told them before Sakura let out a third petrified shriek.

"Sakura!" Sasuke exclaimed anxiously before grabbing ahold of her hand tightly and kissing the back of it. "It's alright Sakura, I'm here. I'm right here alright?" he questioned her loudly before turning his attention back to Naruto. "Naruto, check to see if she's dilated." He told him.

"Right." Naruto replied with a nod. "Uh, how exactly do I do that?" he asked him before Sasuke heaved a heavy sigh.

"Never mind, I'll do that." He told him before removing her shorts and sticking two of his fingers inside her cervix. "Alright, she's dilated." He began before glancing down at his wife. "Alright Sakura, you're going to have to start pushing now." He told her.

"Oh Sasuke I don't know if I can!" she cried.

"You have to Sakura! Trust me!" he told her before Sakura closed her eyes, gritted her teeth and started to push while she continued to scream as Sasuke held her tightly. "Naruto! Can you see anything!?" he shouted over to him before Naruto squatted down and peered inside of her.

"Yes! I can see its head!" he cried.

"Perfect! Keep pushing Sakura!" Sasuke told her before she screamed in pain again.

"Oh Sasuke! It hurts so bad!" she sobbed while feeling the tears start rolling down her cheeks before he softly kissed the top of her head.

"I know, but it's almost over." He told her while planting another soft kiss on top of it. "You're doing great, it's almost out. Now, push!" he instructed as Sakura gave one last final push before the baby came out inside of Naruto's hand. Tears of pain instantly turned into tears of joy as the baby took its first breath and started to scream its tiny little lungs off. Naruto held it up in the air in front of him by its ribs feeling tears starting to stream down his own cheeks.

"It's a girl! I can't believe it! I actually did it! And she's so beautiful and so big!" he exclaimed as Sasuke smiled at them.

"I knew you could all along." He told him before glancing back down at Sakura. She glanced back up at him and then they exchanged a kiss on the lips.

"Well Sasuke, you're the father so I guess that means that you're in charge of cutting the cord." Naruto told him.

"You go ahead and do it. You were the one who delivered her after all." Sasuke told him.

"Well, maybe you're right considering the fact that you're busy holding Sakura that is." He said before he took his kunai out of his holster and severed the cord and then cleaned her off before wrapping her up inside the towel and placing her inside her mother's arms for the very first time. That's when she opened her bright green eyes and looked up into Sakura's.

"Except for the blonde hair, she looks exactly like you." Sasuke told her. "Forehead and all." He told her and silently hoping that he hadn't offended her. Sakura just simply giggled.

"She looks _exactly_ like me when I was a baby. Since obviously I wasn't born with pink hair you know." She told him.

"Ha, that's funny. I can't seem to picture you as a blonde." He told her.

"Do you want to hold her?" she asked him before he silently nodded at her. Before he knew it the baby girl was placed inside his arms and Sasuke's heart was instantly filled with love as he gazed down at the beautiful thing that he helped create and bring into the world.

"So what do you think that we should name her?" he wondered before the tiny baby grabbed onto his finger and held onto it tightly.

"Well,.. I was sort of thinking that we could name her Sasame." Sakura replied. "After all, if she's going to be the first great female Uchiha, then she's going to have to be named after one as well." She told him as he simply just grinned.

"Hn. I think it's perfect." He told her before kissing her on the lips again. "Just like you." He said softly before the baby let out a big yawn and closed her eyes. "And you." He said smiling down at her warmly and planting a kiss on the top of her head. "Sasame. My little Sasame." He whispered.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen; Kidnapped

 **A few days later,..**

Sasuke woke up to the sound of his daughter's cries. He gently moved his wife aside before he got up and pushed the door of the nursery open before walking inside. "It's alright, I hear you. I know you're hungry." He told her before he reached down inside of her crib and then carried her out of the room. "Shh,.. you'll wake up your mother and she really needs her rest. She's exhausted." He told her while continuing to hush her and attempting to soothe her crying.

"I'm just going to put you in here for a second while I heat up your bottle." He told her before lying her down inside her playpen. After that he turned around and walked into the kitchen. He reached into the refrigerator and grabbed one of the baby bottles before turning on the stove and heating it up. A few seconds later he returned into the living room and set the bottle down on the coffee table before hoisting Sasame up inside his arms and carrying her over to the chair.

"Alright Sasame," he began while smiling warmly down at her before grabbing ahold of her bottle again and placing the nipple to her lips. "Is this what you wanted?" he questioned her softly while gazing at her lovingly as she started to suck. He slowly brought his lips to the top of her head and kissed it. That's when suddenly Sakura exited the bedroom and stopped at the end of the hallway to watch them. She smiled while Sasame continued to eat. It wasn't long before she had consumed the whole entire bottle.

"Wow, you really were a hungry girl weren't you?" Sasuke questioned before setting the bottle back down on top of the coffee table and placing a towel over his right shoulder before slowly bringing her up to burp her. "That's good. That'll help you get nice and big and strong." He told her planting another tender kiss upon her forehead before gently patting her back and rubbing it in small circles. A few seconds later she let out an enormous belch.

"Yep, I was right. You might be an Uchiha but you've also got Uzumaki blood in you." He told her as Sakura giggled quietly before he turned his head over to look at her. "I didn't hear you get up." He said. "I'm sorry if she woke you up. She was pretty hungry this morning." He explained.

"That's alright, I got up on my own." She told him while he cradled the tiny baby inside his arms. "You really are good with her Sasuke. Who knew that you were so good with babies?" she questioned him before suddenly Sasame grunted and let out a tiny noise of flatulence.

"Yeah, I know, but I'm crazy about her." He began. "Although I have to admit that I'm not too crazy when it comes to changing her diaper." He told her.

"Don't worry I'll change her. Besides, you probably should get in the shower since Naruto, Hinata, and the other kids are coming over in a few hours. And this will be the first time that Hinata will be able to see her in person." She said.

"I know. And Hokori is still a baby himself so I'm not sure if he'll really understand what's going on, but I wonder what Boruto and Himawari will think of her." He said.

"Well I'm not sure about Boruto but I'm sure that Himawari will love the idea of finally being able to play with another little girl once Sasame is old enough. As much as she probably loves her brother, it'll be nice for her not being the only girl in the family anymore." Sakura told him before Sasame began to cry again.

"Here, I'm going to take you up on that offer." Sasuke began before he slowly stood up again. "Alright Sasame, your mother's going to take you now and put you in a fresh diaper while your father takes a shower." He told her before handing her off to Sakura and then turning around and heading down the hallway.

 _…._

Sasuke closed the bathroom door behind him and relieved himself before taking off his robe and his wedding ring before setting the bathmat down on the floor and then turned on the water. Meanwhile Sakura had finished changing Sasame's diaper and she had fallen back asleep. Sakura quietly left the room and softly shut the door behind her before starting back down the hallway and into the kitchen to wash dishes. As soon as Sasuke found the perfect water temperature that he wanted, he turned on the shower and got into the tub before sliding the glass door shut behind him.

He tilted his head back and closed his eyes while the warm water hit his face. At the same time Sakura was busy humming to herself as she rinsed the dishes before loading them inside the dishwasher. That's when suddenly a brick flew inside the glass window. Sakura let out a rather loud and astonished gasp before quickly turning her head and gaping her mouth wide open. "Oh my God!" she exclaimed as she quickly turned off the faucet before racing over towards the window. That's when suddenly a sound ninja leapt up onto the tree branch.

"You,.." he began. "You're coming with me." He told her firmly.

"Oh really? Think again because there's no way in hell that I'm going anywhere with you!" she snapped before growling angrily at him.

"No Mrs. Uchiha, _you're_ the one who needs to think again." He told her before leaping through the window and wrapping his arms around her tightly.

"Let go of me! Just wait until my husband gets out here he's going to break you in half for threatening me!" she yelled.

"It's alright Sakura, you're not the one I'm interested in. As long as your precious husband cooperates you'll be just fine." He reassured her. "Until then I'm afraid that I'm going to have to take you hostage. Sorry about that." He told her.

"Sasuke!" she shrieked before quickly placing his hand over her mouth.

"Shut up! Besides, it's no use. He won't be able to hear you anyway." He told her. "Now come on!" he ordered before pulling her out the window while she continued to kick and scream trying to break free of his grasp but to no avail. Meanwhile Sasuke was busy shutting off the water before stepping out of the shower and grabbing ahold of his towel so that he could dry himself off. Just as he started drying his face he heard Sasame crying again.

However this time it sounded frantic and petrified. "Sasame?" he questioned with uncertainty before quickly throwing on his clothes and then racing inside her room. "Sasame, what's wrong?" he asked her anxiously before cradling her inside his arms. "What happened?" he asked her before he suddenly felt a strange sickish feeling inside his stomach. "Where's your mother?" he wondered aloud to himself since he knew that she wouldn't be able to answer him.

Sasuke laid her back down inside her crib again before darting out into the living room. "Sakura?" he inquired before he turned his head and caught sight of the broken window. "No." he whispered before feeling his heart starting to pound against his chest. "NO!" he hollered. "Sakura!" he cried before grabbing ahold of the phone and starting to dial Naruto's number. It rang for a few seconds before Naruto finally picked up.

"Hello?" he answered.

"Naruto, you need to get over here right away." Sasuke began breathing heavily. "It's an emergency." He told him.

"Whoa wait a second, what happened buddy you're scaring me." Naruto told him.

"It's Sakura, she's gone. Someone must have kidnapped her when I was in the shower." He said.

"Really? Who would do a thing like that?" Naruto wondered.

"I don't know and frankly I don't give a shit! All I know is that we have to get her back! She means everything to me and I love her more than anything else in the world! We've just got to find her." He said sadly hanging his head before a few moments of silence passed between them.

"Don't worry Sasuke we will. I'll be over there as soon as I can. I promise." Naruto assured him.

"Thanks Naruto. I love you." He told him.

"I love you too buddy and everything's going to be alright. I promise." Naruto said.

"Thanks again. I'll see you in a few minutes." Sasuke told him before he hung up and turned around again breathing a heavy sigh as he faced the window. "Sakura." He whispered to himself.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty; Brothers Forever

 _Just a quick question, who's enjoying this bromance between Sasuke and Naruto as much as I am? Aren't they so freaking adorable?_

About ten or fifteen minutes later the doorbell rang and Sasuke quickly rushed over to answer it. "Naruto." Sasuke began before embracing him tightly. "I've never been happier to see you in my life. I don't think I've ever been more frightened or worried in my life either." He told him before slowly backing away from him.

"I know, me too. Sakura's my sister after all. Where's Sasame?" he asked him.

"Oh no, I didn't think about that. We can't take her with us she's just a baby." He replied.

"Don't worry Sasuke, I brought my mom over here with me to watch her for you." Naruto told him. "That way, we can both go look for her mom together." He said. "Believe it!" he exclaimed excitedly with a little chuckle but Sasuke simply took a deep breath and heaved a sad sigh.

"You know, maybe this isn't such a good idea after all. You coming with me I mean." He told him.

"Oh and what do you honestly think that you'll be able to stop me?" Naruto questioned him with a grin.

"No, I don't. But_ well the truth is_" he began.

"What is it Sasuke?" Naruto asked him as Sasuke sighed again.

"A few days ago at the gas station there were these two guys that were after you. They told me that Orochimaru wanted you and I fought them off." He explained.

"Oh, now I get it." Naruto began. "That's why you were acting so weird that day right? You were just trying to protect my feelings from getting hurt." He said as Sasuke nodded.

"I couldn't stand to see you in pain when you've already went through so much other shit in your life. I already lost Sakura, I don't want to lose you too." He told him.

"You know what your problem is Sasuke? You worry too much!" Naruto exclaimed.

"No, my problem is that whether I like it or not I love you and I don't want to see anything happen to you when I've already caused you so much pain." Sasuke told him.

"Oh come on Sasuke, you know as well as I do that the only reason you called me over here is because you believe in me. That's why you also trusted me to help deliver your kid. We're a team remember?" he questioned him before he took a final deep breath and then let it out.

"Promise me that you'll stay close to me and do whatever I say." He began. "I don't want you out of my sight. Do you understand me?" he asked him as Naruto nodded. "Alright then, I guess that settles it. You can go." He told him.

"Don't worry Sasuke you can count on me!" he exclaimed before he dug a pair of sunglasses out of his pocket and then unfolded them before putting them on his face. "Things are about to get serious." He said as Sasuke grinned and stifled a laugh.

"Yeah right, I've never known you to be serious a day in your life." He told him.

"Come on buddy it's time for Naruto Uzumaki to kick some ass!" he exclaimed before cracking his knuckles together as Sasuke stifled another laugh before shaking his head at him and then turning around to follow him out the door.

 _…._

"So what exactly are we supposed to be looking for?" Naruto wondered while he busily drove down the street as Sasuke stopped to think about it and a sudden image flashed inside his mind.

"Those two guys that I saw a few days ago, they were sound ninjas. I'll bet anything that they're the ones that kidnapped Sakura." He told him before he sadly hung his head. That's when Naruto put his foot on the brake and came to a sudden screeching halt in front of a red light before turning his head over to look at him.

"Gee, what is it Sasuke?" he asked him. "Are you alright?"

"No." he replied. "It's all my fault. I'm the one who told them that I was married to Sakura and that's why they're using her as bait." He told him.

"Oh come on Sasuke, don't blame yourself. There's no way that you could have ever known that this was going to happen." Naruto said as Sasuke glanced back up at him and smiled sadly.

"Thanks Naruto. You always seem to find a way to cheer me up even when you're wrong." He told him. "I'm sorry that I'm always calling you an idiot, I guess I can be a bit of an idiot sometimes myself. I should have stopped to think about the consequences of my actions. Then this might have never happened." He told him as the light turned green again and Naruto stepped back on the gas and accelerated.

"Well I still think that you're being way too hard on yourself." He began. "And as for calling me an idiot well, I wouldn't worry about that too much either. I mean just because I'm the hokage now doesn't mean that I'm perfect. I do idiotic things too and well,.. somebody has to be the one to tell me when I do and it might as well be you." He said as Sasuke chuckled.

"What am I going to do with you?" he asked him before glancing back up at him and grinning.

"I don't know but that's your problem because you're stuck with me." Naruto replied as Sasuke smiled warmly at him.

"Hn. Well, I wouldn't have it any other way." He told him with another chuckle while continuing to gaze at him lovingly and then stuck two of his fingers out and poked his forehead.

"Come on Sasuke, not when I'm driving. Besides, you're starting to get a little too weird on me." He told him.

"I'm being affectionate. Is that a problem or something?" Sasuke questioned him. "Because if you'd rather I could always go back to hating you." He told him but Naruto just simply scoffed.

"Yeah right, you know that you wouldn't be able to if even if you tried." He said as Sasuke grinned.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right." He told him.

 _…._

"Alright here we are." Naruto began before he put his car in park. "The land of sound." He said before turning to look out the window and then back at Sasuke. "You know something just occurred to me. Now that we're here how are we going to find Sakura?" he asked him.

"I've been here before remember? I know where Ororchimaru's hideout is. That's probably where they're keeping Sakura." He told him as Naruto nodded at him before removing his keys and taking off his seatbelt.

"Alright, I'll just follow you then." He said.

"And remember what I said, I want you staying close to me at all times." Sasuke told him. "Do you understand me? You better not do anything stupid." He said.

"Yep, I understand alright. The old Sasuke's back for sure." Naruto told him with another nod and a scowl.

"Naruto I'm serious, this is really important. You're my brother and I need to be there to protect you since I wasn't able to be there for Sakura like I should have been. I'm only telling you this because I care about you." Sasuke said.

"I know,.. but you don't have to treat me like I'm a kid or something." Naruto told him.

"Sorry. I just don't want to see you get hurt. If anybody ever lays a finger on you well, that'll just be someone else that I'll have to wind up breaking in half. Because I'm not going to lose you again. You and I are brothers now and forever and nothing is ever going to come in-between us ever again." He said before he embraced him tightly. "I promise you that." He told him as he closed his eyes and felt his heart beating against his chest. "Not ever." He said as Naruto closed his own eyes as well and rested his head up against his chest.

"Sasuke." He whispered as Sasuke wrapped his arms around him tighter and then rested his chin on the top of his head.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty-One; The Perfect Team

Naruto and Sasuke climbed out of the car together before they started racing down the path and then soaring through the treetops. Sasuke protectively stayed really close to Naruto's side. "How much further is it?" Naruto questioned him impatiently.

"Not too much longer. We're almost there now." Sasuke replied before he stopped on top of a tree and Naruto hopped over beside him. Sasuke took a deep breath and sighed heavily.

"What's wrong Sasuke?" Naruto asked him glancing over up at him with concern.

"Nothing." He began. "It's just that place is starting to bring back some painful memories that's all."

"Hey Sasuke, that reminds me, can I ask you something?" Naruto began as Sasuke glanced back down at him. "I mean, you don't have to answer it if you don't want to but I was just wondering. If you care about us so much then why'd you ever leave us in the first place?" he asked him.

"Well that's simple. Back then I was set on being an avenger. Unfortunately, the hatred that I had for Itachi absorbed me. It was more important to me than anything. Even the love that I had for you and Sakura. I felt that since I care about you both so much it was my weakness and that my true purpose in life was to become stronger. However, you're the one that proved me wrong Naruto. My purpose wasn't supposed to be based on revenge, it was supposed to be to protect you and Sakura. I just wish that I would have found that out sooner." He replied.

"Well, that's all in the past now. It's like you said, nothing's ever going to get in-between us again and stand in our way right?" Naruto questioned him as Sasuke nodded before he wrapped a brotherly arm around him and pulled him into his side.

"Hai." He told him before he poked him in the forehead again and then rested his own head against his.

"Oh I get it now. That forehead thing you do is like your own way of kissing me right?" Naruto asked him as Sasuke silently nodded. "Well that makes sense, and it's a lot less disgusting too." He said. "Wow, you know it feels really great knowing that you care about me so much. I mean next to my mother and Hinata, and possibly even Sakura, nobody has ever loved me that much." He said.

"What about your father?" Sasuke questioned him before Naruto took a deep breath and heaved a long drawn out sad sigh.

"I only met him once, I didn't really know him too well. And don't get me wrong, I forgive my mother and everything for what she did, but it still hurts knowing that all that time she was really alive while I had to suffer living without a family." He told him.

"You've always had a family Naruto, you just never knew it." He said.

"Yeah, well neither did you." Naruto pointed out.

"Yeah, I guess you got me." Sasuke admitted with a grin before giving his forehead another poke. "Come on Naruto, let's go find Sakura." He told him but that's when suddenly he was grabbed out of his grasp by another sound ninja. "Naruto!" Sasuke screamed.

"I got him! That little Nine-Tailed brat is mine!" he exclaimed with an evil and malicious laugh.

"No!" Sasuke hollered.

"Hey let me go! You don't realize what you're doing! I'm the hokage!" Naruto cried while he continued kicking and screaming. "Put me down you bastard!" he hollered as Sasuke gasped before he started running after them.

"Hold on Naruto! I'm coming!" he cried while feeling his heart start speeding up against his chest. That's when suddenly the sound ninja stopped and turned around to face him.

"What the_" he began as Sasuke stopped in front of him and glared at him with his sharingan eye. "You're,.. Sasuke Uchiha." He whispered with a gasp of astonishment.

"Yeah and I'm giving you three seconds to let go of my little brother or you're going to die a very painful death." He said. "And you can also tell me where my wife is while you're at it." He told him.

"But that's impossible! Naruto isn't an Uchiha!" the sound ninja exclaimed.

"He is as far as I'm concerned, now drop him." Sasuke said.

"I really don't believe this are you telling me that you _actually_ consider this demon your brother?" the ninja questioned him widening his eyes with bewilderment and disbelief.

"Hai, he's as good as. He's never given up on me and he's shown me loyalty even when I didn't deserve it. Even now he's out here putting his life on the line to save his sister. The truth is that he's one of the greatest ninjas that I've ever met and I could never be like him even if I tried." Sasuke said as Naruto gaped his mouth wide open at him and gasped with astonishment.

"Sasuke." He whispered before Sasuke turned his attention back over to him.

"I am so proud to call you my brother." He said as Naruto lowered his head and rolled down his cheek.

"Me too Sasuke. I love you so much. You're everything to me." He told him before he closed his eyes. "And I'm about to prove it!" he cried before his eyes shot open again and Sasuke gasped as he recognized them to be the eyes of the Nine-Tailed fox. Naruto felt the lines on his face begin to stretch while his fingernails extended and a red chakra surrounded him. That's when suddenly he punched the sound ninja straight in the face and gave a triumphant growl. "That's for Sakura!" he hollered angrily as he dropped down beside him.

"Come on Naruto let's go!" Sasuke exclaimed before he started sprinting away.

"I'm right behind you Sasuke!" Naruto cried as he chased after him and shortly afterwards they both leapt to the ground in front of Lord Orochimaru's hideout. "Alright so here's the deal, you get Sakura and I'll take care of these idiots." Naruto told him.

"No. I'm not leaving you out here all alone by yourself." Sasuke told him.

"You have to! Sakura's in danger!" Naruto cried. "And right now she needs you more than I do." He told him before Sasuke took a deep breath and sighed heavily before giving a nod.

"Be careful. I'll be back as soon as I can to help you." He told him before he turned around and ran inside.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter Twenty-Two; Love's True Power

As soon as Sasuke ran inside he heard Sakura scream. He stopped and let out a rather loud gasp. "Sakura!" he exclaimed. "Sakura! It's Sasuke where are you!?" he hollered before all of a sudden he heard a familiar chuckle.

"Well, well Sasuke. We meet again." Ororchimaru hissed before he stepped out of the shadows. Sasuke narrowed his eyebrows and glared at him.

"Alright talk! Where's Sakura and what have you done to her!?" he demanded.

"I'm disappointed in you Sasuke, I gave you all the power in the world but yet you gave it all up for love." Ororchimaru told him.

"The love that I have for her and Naruto is way more powerful than you'll ever be!" he snapped.

"That's right, I forgot that you brought your friend Naruto here with you. The talk that's going around is that you're actually referring to him as your brother now." Orochimaru said. "He is the same Naruto that you tried to kill years ago isn't he? It's rather strange that he's forgiven you for that let alone allow you to call him a brother." He told him.

"You still don't get it. Naruto and Sakura love me regardless for all the mistakes I've made. And when you love somebody that much it holds no boundaries. And I love them in return with all my heart and I will fight to the death for them if needed. So tell me where Sakura is or I'll have no choice to kill you!" Sasuke yelled before Orochimaru laughed again.

"Foolish Sasuke! Haven't you learned your lesson yet? It doesn't matter how many times you kill me, I'll always find a way to come back. You on the other hand only have got one life and I can't believe that you would risk it to save your dear ones." He said before he pushed him up against the wall and pierced his hand with his kunai knife. That's when Sasuke let out a loud and terrified shriek of pain. "So much for love, it can't save you now." He said as Sasuke scowled at him while his hand started to bleed. "And it really is a shame, you had so much potential." He told him. "Say your prayers Sasuke Uchiha!" he exclaimed before Naruto suddenly busted through the door.

"Hey you! The freak with the long snakelike tongue." He began as Sasuke gasped before slowly turning his head over to look at him.

"Naruto." He whispered as Naruto closed his eyes tightly before shooting them open again and glaring at Orochimaru with his devilish red eyes.

"Stay the hell away from Sasuke!" he yelled clenching his fists together as Orochimaru looked up at him and grinned.

"Oh, I see. The Nine-Tails returns to save his precious Sasuke." He said.

"Naruto!" Sasuke screamed on the top of his lungs. "Run! Get out of here!" he told him.

"No. I'm the one he wants, so I'm the one he's going to get!" Naruto shrieked.

"No don't! He'll kill you! He'll drain out all of your chakra and then after that it's all over don't you get it!?" Sasuke yelled back as Orochimaru chuckled.

"My, my you are rather a noble ninja after all Naruto Uzumaki." He told him. "Well, it's not too often that I get an offer like that." He said.

"Don't touch him!" Sasuke snapped angrily while continuing to glare at him.

"I'm very sorry Sasuke but you don't really have much a say in the matter now do you? After all you're pretty much pinned up and eventually you'll lose too much blood and die. So now that you're taken care of, I'm going to finish the mighty seventh hokage once and for all." He said.

"NO!" Sasuke shouted on the top of his lungs.

"Ha, you're going to be the one to finish me huh? Well it looks like it's more of a matter of who'll be left standing in the end." Naruto said before he placed two of his fingers together. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" he cried before his clone appeared beside him and started spinning a blue ball of chakra inside his hand. "Grrr,.. RASENGAN!" he growled while at the same time shouting it on the top of his lungs.

"Naruto don't! He'll absorb all of your chakra!" Sasuke hollered as he watched in horror as Naruto started charging towards him. "I have to do something, come on Sasuke move! Naruto's life depends on it, move!" he exclaimed before he grabbed the kunai knife and pulled it out of his hand. He let out another painful scream before he darted towards Naruto and grabbed ahold of him carrying him out of the way. He waited until he was a great distance away from the hideout before he set Naruto back down outside of it breathing heavily.

"Hey come on Sasuke what did you do that for! I almost had him!" he wailed.

"Are you fuckin crazy!? You've could have gotten yourself killed Naruto just charging towards him like that! Orochimaru can absorb all of your chakra through physical contact!" he told him.

"He can?" Naruto questioned him.

"Yes. I thought I made you promise to listen to me! I could have lost you and then what would I have done?" he asked him before Naruto sadly hung his head.

"Gee, I'm sorry Sasuke. I didn't mean to make you upset." He said before Sasuke took a deep breath.

"It's alright, just promise me that you won't do it again." He said.

"Wow Sasuke, you're really shaken up about this." Naruto realized.

"I know that's because you really scared me. Now promise me Naruto, promise me that you'll stay away from Orochimaru and let me to be the one to go back in there and get Sakura." Sasuke told him before Naruto nodded.

"I promise." He replied. "But what about your hand?" he questioned him.

"Don't worry about me I'll be fine." He said before he hoisted him up inside his arms again and then set him back behind a huge bolder. "Now do me a favor and just stay here and out of sight." He said.

"What!? Are you saying that I can't be the one to take this guy down after all he's done to you and Sakura!?" he hollered.

"You've done enough, trust me. Now, I'm only telling you this for your own good. Stay here." Sasuke told him before he ran away but Naruto just simply folded his arms.

"Yeah right, I'm supposed to stay here? I don't even know the meaning of the word! Besides, when did I start taking orders from Sasuke?" he questioned with a scowl before turning his nose up into the air. Meanwhile Sasuke had ran back inside the hideout and managed to find Sakura.

"Sakura!" he exclaimed before taking her inside his arms and then planting a passionate kiss on her lips. "Are you alright?" he asked her anxiously brushing her bangs out of her face before she nodded at him in response.

"Yes I'm fine. But what about Naruto and Sasame?" she questioned him before quickly glancing down at his hand. "And oh Sasuke! You're hurt!" she gasped before placing both of her hands up against her cheeks.

"I'm alright, don't worry about me. And Sasame's fine. Kushina's watching her. And as for Naruto well I left him outside and told him to stay put." He explained.

"And what? You actually expect that he'll listen to you or something? I mean this is Naruto we're talking about." She told him as Sasuke simply just looked at her.

"You know what? You have a point. Just a few minutes ago he started charging towards Orochimaru and I nearly had a heart attack because of it. Luckily I made myself able to move, but if I hadn't, there's no doubt in my mind that he would have killed him." He said.

"Well come on Sasuke, we better go find him then." She told him. "And then as soon as we do I'll treat that wound on your hand." She added.

"Alright, but only after we find Naruto and make sure that he's safe." He told her before they both turned around and ran around the corner.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty-Three; The Long Goodbye

 **Just a quick note; Shortly after this chapter is posted I will post a somewhat of a deleted scene as a separate short since I still really like it but I decided it just didn't fit with the flow of the story. It's still a cute Daddy daughter story with Sasuke and Sasame though. Anyway this chapter is really, really, very, very sad so you might want to keep your tissue box handy.**

"Come on Sakura, we have to find Naruto fast." Sasuke began before he went on to explain what had happened.

"You mean to say that Naruto started turning into the Nine-Tailed fox again?" Sakura questioned him while glancing up at him as she ran along beside him.

"Hai." He replied. "But he didn't have time to transform into his full transformation either time he was busy fighting because I stopped him. The only reason he even started doing it in the first place is because he grew determined when he found out that I had faith in him. And the truth is that I still do, I'm just afraid that he'll go too far." He told before Sakura came to a complete stop beside him. "Oh great, I knew it! He's gone. This is where I left him." He told her. "Naruto!" he shouted on the top of his lungs.

"Naruto,.. answer me!" he cried.

"Where do you think that he could have gone?" Sakura asked him anxiously as they both turned and looked at each other.

"I don't know, but I have a really bad feeling about this." He told her. "We've just got to find him, I swore to him that nothing would ever happen to him ever again. I promised him that I would always be there to protect him. And I can't go back on my promise." He told her before breathing a deep and heavy sad sigh and hanging his head. "I already let you down twice, and I really don't want to do the same thing to him." He told her.

"Wow Sasuke, you've really fallen for him." She realized before he sighed again and closed his eyes.

"I know, you're right. I never planned to but I did. He really is like a brother that I never really had." He said before he opened his eyes again. "I love him so much." He told her.

"I know you do Sasuke and so do I. We'll find him, I know we will. But I really should fix your hand first. You're still bleeding really bad." She told him. "And you shouldn't be losing any more blood."

"Alright, but better make it fast." He told her before plopping down onto the ground as she knelt down beside him and started her healing process. Meanwhile Naruto was busy wandering off.

"Ha!" he began with a scoff. "In case Sasuke's forgotten _I'm_ the one who's the hokage. He's not the boss of me!" he exclaimed before all of a sudden he collapsed onto his knees and screamed. Sasuke gasped and quickly turned his head.

"That was Naruto!" he cried before leaping up onto his feet and running away.

"Wait Sasuke, you didn't let me finish!" Sakura called after him as she got to her feet as well, but it was already too late. Naruto continued shrieking in terror and pain before a sound ninja appeared in front of him.

"Some hokage you are. A true hokage would have had the brains to know that your friend was just trying to protect you. Now pretty soon, you won't be even able to hear the sound of Lord Orochimaru draining out all of your chakra. You're finished Nine-Tails!" he shouted while Naruto curled up inside a little ball screaming and writhing in pain while holding his hands over his hears and covering them.

"No." Sasuke began before the sound ninja spun around to look at him. "You are." He told him glaring at him with his sharingan eye.

"You just never give up do you Sasuke Uchiha?" he questioned him.

"Not when I have a promise to keep. Now I was going to let you off with a warning but I decided that I am losing my patience and it's no more mister nice guy." He said before placing a hand down in front of him and grew a big static blue ball of chakra in front of him. "Chidori!" he hollered before he started charging towards him. The sound ninja gasped and widened his eyes losing his concentration on Naruto before Sakura raced over towards him and quickly pulled him to his feet now that he was no longer in pain.

"Are you alright Naruto?" she questioned him anxiously as he heaved a heavy sad sigh before hanging his head.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He told her as Sasuke thrusted his chidori inside the sound ninja's chest and Sakura gasped before widening her eyes.

"Wow, I've never seen such a powerful Chidori before. Not even Kakashi-sensei could have made something like that." She said as the Chidori caused so much static electricity that not only did the sound ninja get electrocuted but he was suddenly burnt to a crisp. Sasuke dropped both of his hands and started breathing heavily before turning around to face Naruto and Sakura. Then he narrowed his eyebrows and glared at Naruto who was still busily staring at the ground and growled.

"You are such an idiot!" he hollered. "How many times do I have to tell you that when I tell you to do something that you're supposed to do it! That's the second time that I've saved your ass from being killed! When are you ever going to learn!?" he shouted before Naruto closed his eyes and heaved a heavy sad sigh.

"You're right Sasuke." He told her before he opened his eyes again and suddenly felt tears rolling down his cheeks when suddenly Sasuke felt a wave of guilt strike him.

"I'm sorry Naruto, I didn't mean that. It's just that_" he began.

"No, you have every right to be mad at me. This is all my fault. I'm the one that they want and because of me you and Sakura have been put in danger. Until they get what they want, you're never really going to be safe." He told him when all of a sudden he gasped.

"Naruto." He said before Naruto quickly shook his head.

"I can't do this anymore, I'm sorry. I love you Sasuke." He told him. "And I love Sakura and that's why I have to do what's best and protect you. I became hokage because not only did I grow stronger, but I also grew wiser." He told him before Sakura turned her head and looked at him.

"I don't understand Naruto, what are you trying to say?" she questioned him before he took a deep breath and heaved another sigh before turning to look at her.

"I'm saying that you, Sasuke, and Sasame should leave me and the hidden leaf village behind and go somewhere where it's safe." He told her.

"No!" Sasuke exclaimed as Sakura gasped before bursting into tears.

"It's for the best Sasuke." Naruto told him.

"I don't care!" Sasuke shouted back at him. "I made a promise to you that I wouldn't let anything ever get between us ever again!" he hollered.

"And nothing ever will. It doesn't matter where we are, we'll always be friends." Naruto began smiling sadly at him. "It's funny, I would have thought that everything that we've been through that you would have learned that by now." He said before Sasuke hung his head.

"I can't leave you. I just can't do it." He said.

"You have to if you want to protect your wife and daughter. They need you a lot more than I do." Naruto told him.

"But I need you too don't you get that!?" he hollered. "I wouldn't be half the man I was if it wasn't for you! I love you you fuckin idiot!" he screamed suddenly now feeling tears rolling down his own cheeks. "After everything I did for you, why would you put me through all of this pain!?"

"Because, for once I'm thinking about someone other than myself." Naruto told him as Sakura lowered her head while continuing to weep silently. "But before you leave I just wanted to say thank you. You've both taught me everything I need to know. And now it's time for me to teach you how to say goodbye." He said before Sasuke raced towards him and threw his arms around him inside a tight embrace.

"I don't want to." He sobbed.

"Me neither, but we have to. And who knows? Maybe we'll cross paths again someday." Naruto told him while hugging him back. Sasuke wrapped his arms tighter around him and held him tighter than he ever had in his life while closing his eyes even though tears were still escaping out of them and falling onto the ground beside them.

"We better." He sobbed.

"Just don't forget me okay? Because there's no chance in hell that I'm ever going to forget you." Naruto told him before they finally let go of each other.

"Me neither." He said with a sniff and wiping his nose on the back of his hand before turning his head away from him. That's when suddenly Naruto turned his attention to Sakura and embraced her tightly.

"You take care of yourself sis alright?" he told her. "And that baby girl of yours as well." He said.

"I will." She nodded sadly while throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him back. A few moments later they let go and Sakura sniffed while turning her head away and wiping her own nose. That's when all of a sudden Sasuke brought two of his fingers up into the air and poked Naruto's forehead.

"No matter what anyone else says, you will always be my little brother. _Never_ forget that." He told him before finally removing his fingers as Naruto nodded.

"I won't, I promise." He assured him before Sasuke heaved a heavy sigh and then turned over to look at his wife as tears continued rolling down her cheeks and hitting the ground.

"Let's go." He told her before they both turned around and started walking away.

"I'm sorry Sasuke." She began. "I'm just as hurt about this as you are." She told him.

"It's alright, Naruto's right. For yours and Sasame's sake it has to be done." He said.

"So what are we going to tell her?" she asked him.

"Nothing. For our own daughter's protection, she won't even know that Naruto and his family as well as the rest of the hidden leaf village even exists." He replied.

"Really?" Sakura questioned him reluctantly because she figured that she probably already knew the answer.

"Yes. It's the best thing for her. She can _never_ find out that she's really a shinobi." He told her before they continued walking away together.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter Twenty-Four; Twelve Years Later

A purple haired young girl laid sound asleep inside her bed while a black and brown Akita, German Shepard, Husky mix laid down at the foot of it. There was a picture of her parents that sat on top of her nightstand and pictures of her on the wall. There were pictures of when she first learned to sit up, crawl, and walk with the help of her mother's hand. There was also a picture of her very first birthday (she wore a fancy purple dress with a matching party hat) with both of her parents standing by her with bright and shining smiling faces while she stared hungrily at her chocolate cake.

There was also a picture of her first day of kindergarten and the one right next to that one was a picture of her father teaching her how to ride a bicycle without any training wheels. She continued to sleep on and started to snore even though today was also a very important day for her. That's when suddenly her mother pushed her door open and turned on the light. "Sasame, it's time to wake up you silly goose." She began with a grin. "After all, you only turn twelve years old once." She told her before her father stepped inside the room beside her mother.

"Is she still asleep? It's nearly noon." He said.

"Yes, you know Sasame. If she doesn't have to be up for anything important like school or anything else, she won't be." Sakura said before Sasuke groaned.

"And next year when she becomes a teenager that's only going to get worse." He said before it was his daughter's turn to groan.

"Dad!" she cried out in protest. "Please go away so I can get back to sleep." She pleaded but Sasuke simply just raised his eyebrows before sitting down beside her.

"Really? Is that the thanks that your mother and I get for coming all the way up here to deliver you breakfast in bed?" he questioned while gently stroking the dog and then scratching him behind the ears.

"And three,.. two,.. one." Sakura said before Sasame suddenly sat up finding her hair going in all different directions.

"Now you're talking!" she exclaimed excitedly as Sasuke chuckled.

"But before you eat, you might want to look in a mirror." He suggested with a grin.

"Huh?" she questioned widening her eyes at him before leaping out of bed and racing over towards her bedroom mirror and then letting out a petrified scream. "Oh my God! I can't let Samuru see me like this! I'll be _such_ a laughing stock!" she exclaimed.

"That's funny." Sasuke began while his daughter started frantically fixing her hair. "Samuru sounds suspiciously like a boy's name." he finished before his wife sat down beside him and rolled her eyes.

"Oh lord, here we go again." She muttered quietly under her breath.

"What is she talking about, who is he?" he asked her before Sasame quickly spun back around to face them.

"He's only just the most popular kid in our whole entire school! I mean come on Dad get with it!" she cried before she spun back around and grabbed her hairbrush before she started running it through her very long and sleek purple hair.

"Hn." Sasuke said before stifling a laugh and grinning. "She's your daughter alright." He said turning over to look at Sakura.

"Huh?" Sasame inquired before turning back to face them and raising her eyebrows with bewilderment. "What do you mean?" she asked him.

"Well, your father was the most popular kid in our school too and even back then and every girl I knew had a crush on him. Even the ones that I didn't actually." Sakura explained.

"Really? You never told me that." She said.

"That's because that's all ancient history." Sasuke began. "Anyway, I'd be very careful what you do around Samuru. Guys don't like it when girls are constantly fawning all over them. It gets really annoying." He told her before she sat down next to him.

"Well it must have worked on you if you married Mom." She said.

"Well that's only because your mother changed a lot when she got older." He told her.

"What do you mean?" she wondered before he took a deep breath and heaved a heavy sigh.

"Never mind. Forget that I even brought it up." He told her before rising to his feet and then glancing down at the dog who suddenly rolled over and perked up his ears. "Come on Taki, let's go for a walk boy." He told him as the dog barked in response before he wagged his tail and followed him out of the room.

"What was that all about?" Sasame asked her mother. "Dad seems really upset about something." She said.

"Oh don't worry about him. It's nothing that you should be worried about anyway especially on your special day." Sakura replied before she sadly hung her head. "Your father just has a lot of painful memories, that's all." She told her.

 _…._

Sasuke bent down and clipped Taki's leash to his collar. "Alright now Taki, let's not stop and say hello to every tree or telephone pole that we pass." He told him before he took his leash inside his hand and started leading him down the street. On the way they passed by a ramen shop. Sasuke stopped and turned over to look at it heaving a heavy sad sigh. He remembered the days of having to watch Naruto scarf down his entire bowl of ramen at once and how disgusted he always used to be by it.

However, right now he would give anything in the world to be able to see it now. That's when suddenly Taki sensed Sasuke's sadness and started to whimper. Sasuke turned his head to look down at his faithful companion before he placed a paw on top of his pant leg and barked. Sasuke sighed again before scratching him behind the ears and then smiled sadly at him. "Naruto would have loved you." He told him before giving his head a pat. "But there's nothing that we can do about that now. A true shinobi leaves the past in the past." He told him.

After twelve years of being parted from his friend, Sasuke expected that his memories that he shared with him to have faded by now along with his pain. He had no idea at the time just exactly how wrong he would wind up being. "Come on boy, let's go." He told him before he led him away further down the street.

 _…._

Sasame finished tying her hair into a ponytail before examining herself in the mirror. She also had in her large round silver earrings clipped to both of her ears, a purple T-shirt with a matching skirt, and bright purple nail polish to go with it. "There! Perfect!" she exclaimed with a proud grin. "This is going to be the best party ever!" she cried but that's when suddenly something happened to her. She let out a rather loud and astonished gasp as her eyes turned the same color as the rest of her outfit. She saw herself running out of a building with something spilled all over her while at the same time sobbing hysterically.

Sasame gasped again as her eyes suddenly changed back into their normal shade of green. "That was really strange. What just happened to me?" she wondered aloud to herself before waving it away with one of her hands. "Oh well, maybe I'm just nervous. Come on Sasame you worry too much! Everything's going to be just fine, believe it!" she exclaimed excitedly as a wide grin stretched a crossed her face before she raced out of the room.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter Twenty-Five; The Party

Sasuke drove his car into the school parking lot before parking it there and then turning off the engine before he turned his head around and looked at his daughter. "You know, of all the places to choose where you want to have your twelfth birthday party I'm surprised you chose to have it here." He said.

"I know but they have a great auditorium. That's where we have all of our junior high school dances." She replied before taking off her seatbelt as Sasuke pulled his keys out of the ignition before removing his own and then all three of the Uchihas climbed out of the car before slamming their doors tightly behind them. That's when all of a sudden a young girl with raven hair darker than Sasuke's, tanned skin, and amber eyes started waving over to them.

"Hey Sasame over here!" she exclaimed before Sasame quickly hurried over to her.

"Hey Misaki. Is Samuru here yet?" Sasame asked her.

"Yeah he's inside. I'm not sure whether you'll be able to see him though since there's a bunch of girls surrounding him." She replied as Sasuke and Sakura started walking over to them. Misaki glanced up at them and smiled. "Oh hello Mr. and Mrs. Uchiha." She said.

"Hi." Sasuke began. "I hope that I'm not sounding too rude, but do you mind if I have a moment alone with Sasame?" he questioned her.

"No. The only reason that I'm out here instead of in there is because I was waiting for her to show up. I really want to show Samuru my new outfit. I sure hope that he likes it. I heard that he loves girls in miniskirts." She replied.

"Yeah, I've noticed." Sasame groaned.

"Well, see you guys later!" the other girl cried before giving a wave and dashing inside.

 _"Wow, it's the ninja academy all over again."_ Sasuke thought to himself before he took a deep breath and then turned to his wife. "Sakura, why don't you go ahead and join her. I'll meet you inside later." He told her.

"Alright." Sakura said with a nod before she turned around and followed Misaki inside.

"So, Dad what's up? What did you want to talk to me about?" Sasame asked him.

"You and Samuru." He replied. "Listen, I know you think that if you try to be popular and attractive that he'll like you but that's where you're wrong. You're already very beautiful and being popular is vastly overrated." He told her.

"But what about you? Mom said that you were the most popular guy in school back when you were a kid." She said.

"I know, and that's because I was. That didn't mean that I liked it though." He told her.

"Why not? Didn't you like all the attention that you were getting?" she asked him.

"No. I found it rather annoying actually. I already know that you probably won't believe me when tell you this but I used to hate your mother since she was just like everyone else. However, as time grew by she started loving me for who I was instead of who I appeared to be. That's what ended up attracting me to her." He explained. "You see Sasame, if a guy doesn't like you for who you really are then he isn't worth it." He told her. "Sure there might be times when you screw up and you wind up hating yourself for it."

"What are you saying? Were you one of those people or something?" she asked him before he took a deep breath and sighed.

"Let's just say that there are things that I have done in this life that I'm not proud of." He replied. "But luckily I had your mother and the rest of my friends there by my side. I grew stronger and wiser because of them and I never forgot about it. Do you understand what I'm trying to say?" he asked her.

"Yes,.. I think so." Sasame began. "I think that you're saying that if I want Samuru to like me all I have to do is be myself. And then if he really is a good person he'll accept me no matter what. Is that right?" she questioned him as he smiled back at her.

"Yep, you hit the nail right on the head." He told her before bending over and poking her forehead with two of his fingers.

"Ouch!" Sasame exclaimed before she started rubbing it. "I don't get why you do that you know? You're always going around poking my forehead but you never have actually told me why. And it hurts!" she cried before Sasuke laughed.

"Well, love hurts sometimes." He told her. "Why don't you go inside and get back to your party. You _are_ the birthday girl after all." He said while smiling warmly at her.

"Alright, but aren't you coming too?" she asked him.

"I'll meet you inside in a few minutes." He replied as she nodded at him and grinned before turning back around and running inside. Sasuke heaved a heavy sigh as he slowly rose to his feet again before tilting his head back up to look at the moon having the image of Naruto's smiling face flashing through his mind. "Yep, love definitely hurts." He said before he turned back around and walked inside.

 _…._

As Sasuke walked inside the auditorium he found Sakura over by the refreshment table drinking a cup of orange pop while everyone else danced around her. "Hey, I was wondering where you were." She said. "Are you alright?" she asked him.

"Relax, I'm fine. I just needed a bit of fresh air." He told her.

"Well you're just in time. The party's just begun." She said.

"No. I don't think so." He told her while he stifled a laugh and shook his head. "Don't you remember that Halloween party that you and I and Naruto went to that one year? Or has it really been that long of a time ago that you've forgotten that I don't dance? Besides, I wouldn't want to embarrass my daughter on her special day." He said.

"Uh Sasuke," Sakura began. "I think it's a little too late for that. Look." She told him as she pointed towards the doorway where Sasame was running out of the building in tears.

"Uh oh. I'm guessing that this has something to do with Samuru." He began. "I'll go talk to her." He said as he started walking away.

"No." Sakura began making him stop dead in his tracks before turning to look at her. "Let me. After all, no offense or anything but I think this is a girl thing. She probably just needs another woman to talk to her." She told him.

"Well, alright." He began. "But if you need anything I want you to come back and get me." He told her before she nodded at him and sat her cup back on top of the table. "Watch my drink for me." She told him before she ran away. Meanwhile Sasame was sitting out on the bench sobbing inside her arms. Sakura stopped a few feet in front of her and watched her before breathing a deep and heavy sad sigh. Then she slowly approached the bench. "What happened did somebody make fun of your forehead again?" she wondered before sitting down beside her but Sasame simply just shook her head.

"No it's worse than that, much worse." She sobbed before turning her head over to look at her mother. "I made a complete fool of myself in front of Samuru. He told me that he liked my skirt and I was so happy that I didn't watch where I was going and I fell right inside the punchbowl." She explained.

"Oh, I see." Sakura began. "I know how you feel." She told her sympathetically but Sasame just shook her head again.

"No you don't! You might have always had a crush on Dad but at least you didn't humiliate yourself in front of him!" she snapped before giving a rather large sniff.

"Oh, you'd be surprised." Sakura told her with a grin.

"And the worst part is that I saw it coming." She began as Sakura raised her eyebrows and then widened her eyes at her.

"What? Are you telling me that you knew that this was going to happen?" she asked her with a gasp of astonishment.

"Yes, I guess I sort of did but I just didn't understand it at the time." She told her with another sniff. "Although I was really sort of hoping that I would be able to prevent it from happening." She said as Sakura gasped again.

"Uh Sasame, wait here for a second. I have to go use the ladies room." She said before quickly leaping to her feet and rushing back inside where Sasuke was there to meet her at the door.

"What's going on? Is she alright?" he asked her.

"Sasame can see the future!" Sakura blurted out breathing heavily.

"What?" Sasuke questioned her with bewilderment. "But that's impossible." He said.

"She just told me that she knew that she was going to embarrass herself tonight, she just didn't know how or why. Sasuke, I think that our daughter is physic." She told him before they stared at each other in silence.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter Twenty-Six; The Truth Is Revealed

"If that's true, if Sasame really is physic, then_" he began before Sakura interrupted and cut him off.

"Then sooner or later she'll discover that she's really a very powerful shinobi." She finished for him. "You know Sasuke, maybe we should just tell her. After all, if she's going to find out eventually anyway then we might as well tell her." She said unaware that Sasame was coming through the door behind them.

"Tell me what?" she questioned before both of her parents exchanged looks of concern. "What's going on?" she asked them before Sasuke took a deep breath and sighed heavily.

"Sasame, I think that we should go for a walk. There's something that I should have told you a long time ago." He said before he slowly turned around and started walking back outside while Sasame watched him with uncertainty.

"Go with your father Sasame, he'll explain everything to you." Her mother told her before she nodded at her and then followed him out the door.

 _…_

"So, what did you want to tell me Papa?" she asked him glancing up at him questioningly.

"The truth. And it's long overdue." He replied. "You remember when I told you that the rest of our family had died in a massacre?" he questioned her back as she nodded at him.

"Yes." She replied.

"Well I wasn't being completely honest with you. It is true that the rest of the Uchihas are dead. However, the people on your mother's side of the family are still completely alive." He told her before she came to a sudden dead stop.

"What!? Are you saying that you lied to me and kept me from knowing my grandparents!?" she exclaimed before he took a deep breath and sighed.

"Yes but I only did it because I wanted to protect you." He responded.

"Protect me? From what!?" she cried.

"Look, when you were a baby there were these people that tried to kill your mother and I and your uncle Naruto." He began.

"Well why would they want to do that for!?" she snapped angrily with a scowl still in complete and utter disbelief that he had been keeping all this from her for such a long time. Sasuke took another deep breath and sighed again.

"Because they were after his chakra. You see when your uncle was a baby he had a monster sealed inside of him. His father was the fourth hokage and he sacrificed himself in order to save his son and the rest of the village." He explained.

"I still don't understand." Sasame began with a quick shake of her head. "It doesn't make any sense. And what is all this supposed to mean anyway?"

"You're a ninja Sasame. You are a very powerful shinobi that was born in the village hidden in the leaves." He told her.

"What!? I don't believe you!" she yelled.

"It's true." He told her firmly. "Why else would the sound ninjas be after your uncle? The same blood that runs through Naruto's veins runs through yours and your mother's." he explained.

"Alright so if Naruto was the one that these people wanted then why were we the ones who had to leave the village?" she wondered.

"Because Naruto knew that as long as he was in danger so were we and he loved us enough to let us go." He told her.

"So why didn't you just tell me about all this then!? And my physic abilities, did you know about that too!?" she snapped.

"No, actually I didn't. The reason that your mother and I didn't tell you sooner is because we figured that if you had found out who you truly were you would want to go back to the hidden leaf village. We loved you so much that we didn't want to risk putting you in danger." He explained.

"I still don't get it! If I am such a powerful shinobi shouldn't I be able to learn how to fight and protect myself?" she questioned him hotly.

"No Sasame, it's too dangerous. You don't understand what you would be getting yourself into." He told her.

"Oh I understand perfectly alright! You've lied to me my entire life! And on top of that you don't have any faith in me at all!" she shrieked at him blinking away her tears.

"No Sasame, that's not true baby." He told her.

"You don't get it Father! I am _not_ a baby anymore! When are you going to stop treating me like a child!?" she hollered before she burst into tears and then turned around and ran away.

"Sasame!" he called before he started running after her. "Sasame come back!" he shouted before hearing a petrified shriek inside the distance. Sasuke gave an astonished gasp and suddenly felt his heartbeat speeding up. "Sasame!" he hollered frantically. Meanwhile up ahead Sasame had been captured by a group of sound ninjas.

"We finally got her!" one of them cried while Sasame squealed and tried to break free of his grasp.

"Let go of me you bastard!" she hollered.

"My, my, what a mouth you have on you for such a little child." The ninja said.

"You don't even have any idea who you're talking to! Do you even have any idea at all who I am!?" she yelled as the ninja nodded at her.

"Oh yes I am perfectly aware of who you are miss Uchiha, and that's why I'm taking you straight to Lord Orochimaru." He told her before he quickly covered her mouth as she continued to scream and fight while she was being dragged away. That's when all of a sudden she sunk her teeth inside his hand and bit down hard upon it. "Ouch!" he shouted accidentally dropping Sasame while he clutched his hand in pain with his other hand as Sasame ran away.

"The little brat bit me!" he exclaimed before pointing into the distance. "Get her!" he cried while Sasame continued running as far as she could and as fast as she could breathing heavily. Once she had finally made it far enough away, she climbed up the enormous hill that looked over the land of rainbows and hung her head and sighed. "I'm sorry Papa, but if I really am a shinobi then I have to go and find that out." She said to herself while a tear rolled down her cheek. "Goodbye." She said before she turned around and dashed inside the woods.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter Twenty-Seven; A Rainy Night

 _I'm sorry that this chapter is a little short, but the next one will be longer and a lot more interesting._

Sakura waited outside the school under the overhang while Sasuke slumped through the parking lot in the rain. "Sasuke?" Sakura questioned him with uncertainty. "Where's Sasame?" she asked him before he stopped beside her and sadly turned his head over to look at her. "No." she whispered with an astonished gasp.

"I don't know what happened to her. All I know is that after I told her the truth she wound up getting really mad at me and she ran away." He told her.

"No!" Sakura exclaimed before bursting into tears.

"I'm sorry Sakura, I couldn't catch up with her." He told her before he hung his head and a tear rolled down his cheek. "Now we might not ever see our baby girl again." He said solemnly before closing his eyes tightly.

"Come on Sasuke don't say that! There has to be something that we can do!" Sakura sobbed before Sasuke suddenly got an idea and then turned his head back over to look at her.

"There is. I have a feeling that I know where she was going. Sakura listen to me, we have to go back to the hidden leaf village. I have a feeling that she's going to go there searching for Naruto." He told her.

"Do you really think so?" Sakura asked him eagerly.

"I'm not sure, but it's worth a shot." He told her.

"Sasuke I'm scared. What if we don't find her in time?" she asked him.

"We will. We have to." He replied before she wrapped her arms around him tightly and embraced him continuing to sob silently in his chest. "Shh,.." he began before planting a soft and tender kiss on the top of her head. "It's alright, everything's going to be alright." He told her before he kissed her again and gently rubbed her shoulders. "I promise you that. We'll find her." He told her before placing one final kiss to the top of her head and then resting his chin down against it. Then he wrapped his arms around her tighter and closed his eyes crying silently while she continued to weep.

 _…_

Sasame finally found coverage inside a tunnel. She watched the rain continuing to pour outside and heard a roll of thunder inside the distance before she sadly hung her head.

 _Flashback_

 _…._

A four year old little Sasame laid snug inside her bed while gazing up at her father as he read her a bedtime story. "So then Peter took Wendy, John, and Michael to Neverland so that they wouldn't have to grow up and Wendy wouldn't have to leave the nursery." He read as she smiled widely at him and gasped with astonishment.

"I wish that I could go to Neverland! That way I could stay a little girl forever!" she exclaimed excitedly before her father chuckled and kissed her forehead.

"Well you know what? It doesn't matter how old you get because to me, you'll always be my little girl." He told her. That's when suddenly there came a great clap of thunder inside the distance. Sasame shrieked and then quickly hid under the covers.

"Don't let it get me Papa! Don't let it get me!" she pleaded but her father simply just chuckled again before grabbing ahold of the covers and pulling them back up over her head.

"It's alright sweetheart, it's just thunder. It's not going to get you." He told her.

"Are you sure?" she asked him anxiously with uncertainty.

"Do you think that I would ever let any harm come to my little girl?" he questioned her. "You want to know a secret?" he asked.

"What?" she wondered.

"My mother always taught me that you shouldn't ever let anything scare you and if something ever does, then just be scarier than whatever's scaring you." He told her.

"I can do that. I can be a very scary person. That's what Misaki told me at her Halloween party last year. She told me that I made a very terrifying clown." She said before her father chuckled.

"You sure did. A friend I used to know was scared of clowns." He told her. "Although he was pretty much afraid of everything. But he never let fear stand in the way of doing what he really wanted to accomplish in life." He told her.

"He sounds really brave." Sasame remarked.

"That's because he was. He was one of the bravest men that I ever knew and my best friend in the whole entire world." He told her when suddenly there came another loud clap of thunder and a lightning bolt struck the sky. Sasame gave a horrified gasp before she leapt inside his arms and hid her face inside his chest.

"Oops,.." she began before peaking back up at him. "I mean boom!" she hollered while flinging her tiny little arms up into the air while her father smiled down at her and laughed before kissing the top of her head.

"That's my brave little girl." He told her with another chuckle as Sasame grinned back up at him and then stifled a laugh.

 _End of Flashback_

 _…._

Another roll of thunder sounded inside the distance and a flash of lightning lit up the sky snapping Sasame out of her trance. She tilted her head back and looked up at the sky. She remembered that when she was a little girl she would fall asleep safe and snug inside her father's arms on a night like this. A tear rolled down her cheek before she sniffed and rubbed her nose on the back of her hand. How she yearned to be with her parents now, but since she couldn't she had no other choice but to lay down, curl up, and go to sleep.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter Twenty-Eight; The Seventh Hokage

The next morning Sasame woke up to the sound of her stomach growling like crazy. She groaned as she slowly lifted her head and opened her eyes. "Wow, what a night." She said to herself. "Where's a girl going to be able to go to the bathroom around here?" she wondered before she shrugged. "Oh well, I guess I better do it outside considering that I don't really have too many other options. Then maybe I can find something to eat as well." She said before she slowly got to her feet and then exited the tunnel.

That's when all of a sudden she gasped with astonishment and widened her eyes as she saw the scenery in front of her. "Oh my God, I don't believe it! It's the hidden leaf village! That's where Dad said that Uncle Naruto lives. I'm sure that he'll have the answers that I've been looking for." She said before she darted away.

Meanwhile Sasuke was busily driving down the highway while his wife sat beside him on the passenger's side and their trusty companion Taki rode in the back sticking his head and paws out the window while at the same time wagging his tail excitedly. Sasuke steadied the steering wheel with one hand while he flicked a bit of his ashes off the end of his cigarette with the other hand.

"Wow, I really can't believe it." Sakura began. "After all these years we're finally going back to the hidden leaf village. That means that we'll finally be able to see Naruto again. Isn't that wonderful Sasuke?" she asked him eagerly but he just heaved a deep and heavy sad sigh.

"Yeah. I just hope that Sasame's here as well." He told her. Deep down inside of him he was overjoyed with the fact that he would be seeing his friend again. So overjoyed in fact that he felt as if his heart was doing backflips. However, Sasuke knew that he was a father before a brother and right now he was more concerned for his daughter's safety and he just silently hoped and prayed that she would be alright.

 _…_

Sasame gave another gasp of astonishment as she took in all the sights, sounds, and smells that the hidden leaf village had to offer her. That's when suddenly she tilted her head back and caught sight of an enormous red building. "That must be where my uncle Naruto is." She realized. "I just hope that they let me in to see him." She said to herself before she felt her stomach grumbling again. "Although first I probably should find something to eat." She said before she saw somebody run straight past her giggling all the way.

He had spikey blonde hair and bright blue eyes. "Hey come on Boruto wait up!" Sasame quickly spun around to see another girl with long black hair tied into a ponytail and the same bright blue eyes. She was wearing a creamy white tannish colored T-shirt with black and white shorts with matching black sandals. She stopped in front of Sasame and started breathing heavily. "Fifteen years old and even Hokori is a lot more mature than him." She said before she turned attention over to Sasame.

"Hey, you must be new around here. I don't ever recall seeing you before. What's your name?" she asked her.

"Hn." Sasame began while fixing her gaze upon her. "My father always told me that it's common courtesy for saying your own name before asking for someone else's." she told her.

"Oh, of course I'm sorry, how silly of me." The other girl began with a grin. "My name's Himawari Uzumaki. I'm the hokage's daughter you know." She giggled before continuing to grin at her taking Sasame completely off guard and taken aback.

"What?" she questioned her with complete and utter bewilderment and incredibility.

"The hokage is the greatest ninja of our village." She explained.

"Yes I know that, but I think that's my uncle." Sasame said.

"Oh really? What leads you under that impression?" Himawari wondered continuing to grin from ear to ear at her. Sasame simply just blushed before slowly turning her head away from her.

"Oh no reason." She replied. _"I better not tell this girl that I'm physic just yet or she'll just think that I'm psycho."_ She thought to herself. "Anyway, can I see him?" she wondered.

"Well, I don't see why not. You still haven't given me your name though." Himawari said.

"Oh I'm sorry. I'm Sasame, Sasame Uchiha." She replied. This time it was Himawari's turn to act surprised.

"What!? You mean to say you're an Uchiha!?" she exclaimed with incredibility. "Your parents, they wouldn't happen to be Sasuke and Sakura would they?" she wondered as Sasame nodded.

"Yeah, that's right." She replied.

"You better come with me then. I'll take you to my father. He's never going to believe this." Himawari said before the two girls started walking away together. "How did you get here anyway?" she questioned glancing down at her.

"Well,.. it's kind of a long story." Sasame told her.

 _…._

Naruto sat by his desk inside his office looking down at his old team picture. "If only you both knew how much I missed you." He said referring to Sasuke and Sakura before he busted out laughing. "Man, I swear, Sasuke and I look like we're about to kill each other in this picture." He said before he sat it back down on top of his desk. That's when suddenly his daughter burst through the room.

"Dad! I need to talk to you!" she exclaimed as he simply just glanced up at her.

"Honestly Himawari, how many times do I have to tell you not to come inside this room without knocking first?" he questioned her.

"But Dad! This is important!" she cried.

"Alright, alright just calm down. What could be so important that you decided to interrupt me at work instead of keeping an eye on your brothers for me?" he asked her.

"I brought someone here with me. She wants to see you." She told him before he took a deep breath and sighed heavily.

"Fine. If it means that much to you send her in." he told her as she slowly turned around and looked back towards the doorway. "It's alright," she began soothingly while smiling warmly at her new friend. "Don't be shy. Come on in." she told her before Sasame slowly stepped inside the room and walked over to his desk before standing in front of it. "What?" Naruto questioned while instantly catching sight of her eyes and forehead and then gave a sudden gasp of astonishment before he sprung to his feet.

"I'm sorry, I really hope that this doesn't sound rude, but just who exactly are you?" he asked her.

"My name is Sasame Uchiha." She replied accidentally forgetting about her father's rule.

"Sasame? Is that really you?" he questioned her with uncertainty as she simply just nodded at him.

"It is. Hello,.. Uncle Naruto." She said before he quickly raced out from behind his desk and threw his arms around her embracing her tightly while tears of joy rolled down his cheeks. "Oh my God, I haven't seen you since you were a tiny baby. Look how much you've grown." He told her before breaking out of the embrace a few moments later and giving a sniff while brushing away his tears at the same time. "Look Sasame, I'm really happy to see you and everything but what are you doing here and where are your parents?" he asked her.

"I ran away!" she exclaimed.

"Really? Why would you do a thing like that for they're probably worried sick about you." He told her.

"Because I just found out for the past twelve years that they lied to me and I'm a shinobi right? I deserve the chance to learn to be able how to fight and defend myself." She said.

"Listen sweetheart, I don't blame you for being upset but you really shouldn't be here. I'm afraid that I'm going to have to take you home." He told her.

"What!? But you can't!" she cried indignantly.

"I'm sorry Sasame but I'm afraid that I don't have any other choice." He told her.

"It's not fair, you're just as bad as the rest of them!" she shrieked before she turned around and ran out of the room.


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter Twenty-Nine; Reunited

 _Umm actually no. I chose the name Sasame (but pronounce it Sauce-ooh-may) because it's sounds an awful lot like a female version of the name Sasuke. I thought that even the original pronunciation sounded like it (I got it from Sasame Fuma) but I thought my pronunciation sounded even closer and I'm guessing somewhere in Japan it can be pronounced like that too even though I wouldn't know that since I've never actually been there lol. Anyway, I hope you're enjoying the story so far and here's the next chapter!_

"Sasame wait!" Naruto cried before he started chasing after her while she continued racing out of the building and back onto the street. That's when suddenly she stopped dead in her tracks and gave a rather loud gasp of astonishment as she saw who was blocking her path. Taki started barking at her while Sasuke held the leash tightly inside his hand. Sasame laughed nervously while Sasuke narrowed his eyebrows and glared at her.

"Papa," she began. "What are you doing here?" she asked him.

"I suppose that your mother and I could ask you the same question." He replied. "Just what made you think that it was a good idea taking off like that!?" he hollered.

"We were worried sick about you Sasame!" Sakura scolded.

"I'm sorry Mom, really I am." She told her hanging her head guilty while placing her arms around her back and glancing down at the ground.

"You should be! You nearly gave your father and I a heart attack!" Sakura exclaimed before Sasuke took a deep breath and sighed heavily.

"Look, even though your mother and I are both in agreement that what you did was both wrong and very, very stupid, I hope you know that there is nothing on earth that you could ever do to make us stop loving you." Sasuke told her.

"I know." She replied before she took a deep and long drawn out breath.

"Good. But that doesn't mean that you won't be punished for your foolish and reckless behavior. I'm very disappointed in you Sasame, you're grounded for two weeks do you understand me young lady?" Sasuke questioned her.

"Yes Papa." She responded still glancing down at the ground.

"Good, now let's go home." He told her placing a hand on her shoulder before all three of them started to turn around and walk away.

"Wait Sasame, all I want to do is talk to you!" Naruto exclaimed as he quickly rounded the corner before tripping over his shoelace. That's when Sasuke instantly stopped walking and turned around to face him. Naruto gasped while slowly tilting his head back to look up at him.

"Sasuke." He said while at the same time Sasuke widened his eyes with astonishment and bewilderment.

"Naruto." He replied feeling as if he could hardly breathe as tears of joy rolled down his cheeks.

"Sasuke,.. Sakura,.." Naruto began before quickly leaping to his feet. "Finally!" he exclaimed while he burst into tears and ran straight towards them before embracing Sasuke tightly and sobbing hysterically inside his chest. Sasuke wrapped his own arms around him tighter while continuing to cry silently and then resting his chin down on top of his head. "I missed you so much." He whispered.

"I missed you too, and you don't even know how much." Sasuke told him while feeling his heart beat steadily against his chest.

"I thought that I was never going to see you guys again." Naruto said with a sniff.

"Neither did I. But that doesn't make any difference now since we're together again." Sasuke told him while Naruto continued to weep with joy. "Shh,.. it's alright brother." He whispered while gently rubbing his shoulders. "Everything's going to be alright. I'm here,.. I'm here." He told him closing his eyes tightly basking happily inside the moment as tears rolled down Sakura's own cheeks while she continued to watch them before sniffing and wiping them away with the back of her hand.

 _….._

"You know, don't take this the wrong way or anything I really am happy to see you guys but you really shouldn't be here." Naruto said while he started walking down the street with them.

"I know." Sasuke began. "I wouldn't entirely blame Sasame though. We should have told her that she was a shinobi right from the start. Then maybe she wouldn't have runaway."

"Yes, but it's like you said, I made a really stupid decision on my part." Sasame admitted. "There's one thing I don't get though. I thought that you said that Uncle Naruto was Mom's brother not yours." She said.

"Yes well I sort of adopted him as my little brother." Sasuke explained before Sasame heaved a deep and heavy sad sigh while she slowly hung her head.

"I wish that I had a little brother or sister. I would love to have a bond as strong as the one that you guys have." She said as Sakura simply just grinned.

"Actually, it's funny that you should say that Sasame because you will." She told her.

"What!?" Naruto, Sasuke, and Sasame all chorused together.

"I just had my doctor's appointment last week and it turns out that we're going to have another baby." She told Sasuke before he lifted her up in the air excitedly.

"What? Get out of here." He said with a grin before placing a passionate kiss on her lips and then setting her back down on the ground in front of him. "Just exactly when did you plan on telling me?" he asked her as she just simply beamed at him and giggled.

"I was waiting for the proper moment and that seemed like a perfect one to me." She replied as Naruto smiled warmly at her.

"Well congratulations. I'm really happy for all three of you." He said as Sasuke smiled back at him before turning his attention back over to his wife and daughter.

"Uh I hope you two ladies don't mind but I would like to have a moment alone with my brother." He told them but Sakura just simply waved a hand at him.

"Oh it's alright, you two boys probably have a lot to catch up on. We'll leave you two alone. Come on Sasame." She said while turning over to look at her.

"Great." She began with an excited grin. "Can we get something to eat? I'm starving!" she cried as Sakura giggled again.

"Sure, come on." She told her as Sasuke turned to watch as they both ran off into the distance and grinned.

"Hn. If this pregnancy is going to be anything like the last one Sakura will never stop eating." He said before turning to look back over at Naruto. "So, I need your advice about something." He said.

"Really? What's that Sasuke?" Naruto asked him.

"I was wondering whether or not you thought that it would be a good idea to enroll Sasame into the academy or if we should train her ourselves." He said.

"What? Sasuke you can't be serious! You really shouldn't even be here!" Naruto exclaimed.

"I know but we are. And now that Sasame knows that she's really a shinobi we can't really stop her from trying to be one. After all, I was the one who told her that she should always be herself." Sasuke told him as Naruto smiled warmly at him.

"It sounds like you're a great dad and if you're as good at it as you are at being a brother, then I think that you're probably the best father in the whole entire world." He told him.

"Hn." Sasuke began with a grin. "Thanks, but maybe not the entire world." He told him before he stuck two of his fingers out and poked his forehead. "I say that since it's still summertime we should both give Sasame some training before she enters the academy in the fall since Sakura and I will be enrolling later than usual." He explained as Naruto grinned back at him.

"Sounds great buddy." He replied before Sasuke removed his hand away from him. "I'm going to catch up with Sakura and Sasame and tell them the good news. See you later." He told him before he turned around and started walking away while Naruto continued grinning as he watched him.

"Alright, see ya later buddy." He said.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter Thirty; Out For Breakfast

 _Again, sorry for the pretty short chapter but the next one will be really exciting since Naruto and Sasuke will start training Sasame._

"Hey Sasuke wait up!" Sasuke stopped walking before slowly turning around to see Himawari running over to him. That's when she suddenly came to a stop in front of him breathing heavily. "So, you're my uncle Sasuke huh?" she inquired as Sasuke grinned.

"Yeah and that must make you Himawari. Wow, you've changed. How old are you now anyway?" he wondered.

"Thirteen." She replied grinning back at him. "I'm officially a teenager now." She told him while beaming proudly at him.

"That's right I forgot. Your one year older than Sasame." He said.

"Yeah, that's right." She began with a nod. "And I'm two years older than Hokori. It's funny, even though he's the youngest, I believe that he's the wisest among all of us." She told him. "He's certainly wiser than Boruto that's for sure. Speaking of which, have you seen him anywhere recently?" she asked him but he just simply shook his head at her.

"No. Sorry." He replied before she started sinking with despair.

"Great. I was afraid of that. _I_ was the one that was supposed to be keeping an eye on him. Shit, my father's going to kill me!" she exclaimed.

"If he doesn't maybe I will. I don't care about the fact that you're not my daughter. I don't want to hear that kind of language coming out of a thirteen year old girl's mouth. Especially when she's my niece. Do you understand?" he questioned her.

"Yes Uncle Sasuke, I'm sorry for bothering you." She told him before he watched her turn around and run away. Then he turned back around and started walking in the opposite direction.

 _….._

Sakura and Sasame stood in line inside the Hibachi restaurant when all of a sudden Boruto hurried over to them. "Hey, so you must be Aunt Sakura huh?" he questioned her. "My dad was right, you _do_ have an awfully big forehead." He remarked as Sakura growled before she slowly turned her head around and crackled her knuckles.

"Take it easy! I didn't mean anything by it!" Boruto exclaimed while waving his hands at her. "Besides, you wouldn't hit your own nephew would you?" he questioned her anxiously while nervously backing away from her but Sasame just simply scoffed at him.

"I wouldn't tempt her if I were you, you wouldn't believe how many time she pounded her own brother." She told him.

"Well in my defense, that was back before I even knew that he was my brother." Sakura began. "Besides, Naruto was really asking for it anyway!" she yelled just as Sasuke was walking through the door.

"Whoa,.." Boruto began while he widened his eyes with pure bewilderment and astonishment. "You're Sasuke Uchiha." He said.

"Yeah, and you must be Boruto Uzumaki." Sasuke began. I must say that you're a splitting image of your father. I just met your little sister outside and she's looking for you." He told him.

"Well that figures! Don't get me wrong, I really love Himawari, but sometimes I just wish that she would go away and give me some space!" he snapped while folding his arms and turning his nose up into the air.

"I wouldn't go around saying that if I were you. You're both really lucky to have each other. Your father and I were separated for twelve years." He told him.

"Yeah but that doesn't really count since you and my father aren't really brothers." Boruto said but Sasuke just simply stifled a laugh.

"You'll have a really hard time trying to convince us that. After all, what makes a family isn't defined by the type of blood that runs through your veins, it's the love that you have for one another deep inside your heart." He told him.

"Cute." Boruto began. "But I think that somebody has been reading way too many fortune cookies." He finished as Sakura giggled.

"He's Naruto's son alright." She said but Sasuke just simply groaned and rolled his eyes while shaking his head.

"Forget it. I'm not wasting my breath. I'll be right back." He said before he turned around and started walking towards the men's room. That's when all of a sudden Naruto dashed out of it.

"Hey Sasuke!" he exclaimed excitedly. "What are you doing here!?" he cried before Sasuke took a deep breath and sighed heavily.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" he questioned him back. "I just met your son over there and from the looks of it being a complete and utter idiot is hereditary." He said but Naruto just simply folded his arms and scowled at him.

"Oh really? Well I love you too Sasuke!" he shouted sarcastically. "I guess that means that you wouldn't be interested in what I was about to tell you then." He said.

"No, probably not." Sasuke told him.

"Well, just for your information it has to do with your daughter. I was thinking that we could start her training this afternoon." Naruto said.

"Hn. Really? Well, maybe that isn't such a bad idea." Sasuke admitted.

"Well I guess then I'm not as stupid as you think I am then am I Sasuke!?" he exclaimed as Sasuke simply just grinned at him.

"No, you would have to be a pure genius to get me to fall in love with someone as stupid like you." He told him but Naruto just simply made a disgusted face.

"Ew,.." he said.

"You know what I mean I didn't mean it like that." Sasuke told him.

"Well buddy, I'd love to stay and chat but my stomach is telling me that it's chow time so later!" he exclaimed before he ran away as Sasuke stifled a laugh and shook his head.

"What a loser." He said before he started walking into the bathroom.


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter Thirty-One; A Dream Come True

"Naruto is such an idiot." Sasuke muttered underneath his breath while he walked out of the restaurant with Sakura by his side.

"Uh oh, what has Naruto done this time?" she questioned him reluctantly.

"When I told him that I fell in love with him he thought that I meant in _that_ way." Sasuke said with a shudder of disgust. "As if, I mean for the love of God I'm married to you and I got you pregnant twice. I mean, even if I _was_ gay there's no way in hell that I would cheat on you. Especially with a loser like him." He said as Sakura giggled.

"Of course you wouldn't. It's perfectly fine for two guys to care about one another. I mean, I think it's really sweet you know?" She told him while smiling at him warmly.

"Yeah, and Naruto's lucky that I do otherwise I would have killed him a long time ago when I had the chance." He said as she giggled again.

"Oh Sasuke, you're hopeless." She told him.

"Hey Sasuke! Sakura! Wait up!" Sasuke heaved a heavy sigh before he turned around to see Naruto running towards them with a wave and rolled his eyes.

"What does that loser want now?" he questioned with a groan before Naruto stopped in front of him bending over and breathing heavily. "May I help you?" he asked him before he finally caught his breath and slowly stood up.

"You'll never guess what just happened." Naruto told him.

"Why should I even bother since you're probably going to tell me anyway before I have the chance to." He said.

"I found a place that we can use as training grounds." Naruto told him with a grin. "It's a nice spot just outside the woods. Nobody will be able to disturb us there." He said as Sasuke grinned back at him.

"Hn." He began. "I'd never thought I'd say this but it looks like you've actually done something right for a change Naruto." He told him. "Good job." He said proudly before they both exchanged warm and loving smiles between each other. "Alright, lead the way." He told him before all three of them started walking away together.

 _…._

"Alright! Listen up!" Naruto began strutting in front of Sasame. "Your father and I are your sensei's now so this is how it's going to work!" he exclaimed but Sasuke just simply shook his head and rolled his eyes.

"Relax Naruto, this isn't boot camp." He told him.

"Wait a minute, how are you guys even supposed to train me when I only just found out that I was a ninja yesterday?" she questioned them.

"Well that's easy we'll just start with the basics!" Naruto exclaimed with a grin. "A ninja gets his or her power from the chakra that runs through his or her veins." He said as she gave a nod.

"Right, chakra." She repeated.

"Usually your mother is the one that explains this sort of thing but I guess considering that she's not here I'll just have to do. Before you can really fully understand what all your chakra is capable of, first you're going to have to learn how to control it. So we'll start off with my most famous jutsu since it's a beginners jutsu that you'll learn how to perform once you get to the academy. The shadow Clone Jutsu!" he exclaimed excitedly as Sasuke grinned and then rolled his eyes again.

"How did I ever guess?" he questioned.

"The Shadow Clone Jutsu." Sasame repeated again. "Right, how do I do that?" she wondered.

"Just watch the master and learn." Naruto told her with a grin before he stood with his feet spread apart and then placed his fingertips together. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" he cried before all of a sudden there came a great puff of smoke and a second Naruto appeared beside the other one. "See, that's all there is to it." Both of the Naruto chimed together but Sasame just simply breathed a deep and heavy sigh and then hung her head.

"Forget it, it's hopeless. I'll never be able to do that You're the hokage and I'm just a little girl. I'll never be able to be as good as you." She said sadly but he just bent over while smiling at her affectionately.

"Hey. I don't want to hear that kind of talk. Especially coming from my beautiful niece. After all, part of your blood comes from me you know. If you just give up you're not going to get very far in life and besides that, I thought that it was your dream to become a shinobi just like me and your father." He said.

"It is." She began before heaving another deep and heavy sad sigh. "I'm just not sure if I'll ever be good enough." She admitted while glancing back down at the ground before Sasuke slowly walked over to her.

"Sasame, I've known your uncle Naruto for years now. The reason that our relationship is so strong is that we go way back. Let me tell you one other thing, we didn't always get along. In fact we hated each other. But I think that the only reason that we did is because we were jealous of each other. Naruto was always envious of the fact that I was the cool kid and I was the one who got all of the ladies. However, all I cared about was being as strong and confident as he was.

From the time that he was your age, it was his greatest ambition to become the hokage and not only did he never shut up about it, but he never stopped trying to prove everyone else wrong. That's the true reason that he is the hokage now and even to this day I really wish that I could be like him." He said before turning over to look at his friend and smiled at him while Naruto smiled back at him.

"Your father's right Sasame." Naruto began softly. "If you have a dream you should never give up on it no matter what the cost. I never stopped dreaming that your father would one day acknowledge and accept me. And you know what, I wouldn't trade that dream coming true for anything. Not even if it meant losing my position as being the hokage." He told her.

"And your uncle Naruto and I will be right there to help you." Sasuke promised.

"Guarantee it." Naruto told her with a proud grin and stifled a chuckle.

"Hn." Sasame began with a grin. "Don't you mean _believe_ it?" she questioned him.

"You got it." He whispered softly while gazing at her lovingly before stretching out his hand towards her. Sasame reached her own hand towards him and then they both grabbed ahold of each other's fingers and exchanged smiles.


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter Thirty-Two; Man's Best Friend

 _Special announcement! I've decided that not only will there be two sequels after this story but there will also be a spinoff series with Naruto and Sasuke so stay tuned to find out more since I'll reveal more about the storyline later._

Naruto and Sasuke spent the last few weeks of summer training Sasame and teaching her all that she would need to know before she entered the academy. Before they knew it autumn had fallen over Konohagkure. Sasame sprung out of bed on her first day of school really anxious to try on her new school clothes. She was now sporting a purple T-shirt with the Uchiha fan on the back of it, a black leather vest, dark purple lounge pants (with black stripes and a kunai holster fastened around her left leg) and black ankle boots.

Sasame finished tying her hair up into a ponytail before grinning proudly at herself in the mirror. "Hn." She said before Sakura walked over to the bottom of the stairs and then tilted her head back to look up at them. "Sasame, your breakfast is ready!" she called.

"Coming!" Sasame shouted back before she turned around and raced down the stairs two at a time.

"Wow, you look great. You look like a real ninja." Her mother told her.

"Thanks but I won't look like a _real_ ninja until I graduate the academy and get my own headband." She replied before she turned around and ran inside the kitchen where Sasuke was already waiting for her at the kitchen table.

"Hn." He began with a grin. "You must be excited about your first day. I haven't seen you up this early voluntarily since you started kindergarten." He said.

"I'm sorry Papa but I don't have time to chat. I can't be late on my first day of school. After all, I want to leave a good impression." She told him before she pulled out a chair beside him and then sat down before blowing on her porridge and then scarfing it down.

"Careful, if you keep eating like that you'll wind up at the hospital instead." He told her. "Besides, I wouldn't worry about making a good impression. I'm taking you to school this morning on my bike and not too many twelve year old's are able to do that." He told her before Sakura entered the kitchen.

"I sure wish that you would reconsider. You know I think that it's too dangerous." She told him before he got to his feet and grinned at her.

"Relax, you worry too much." He began before he started walking over towards the door. "Besides, I wouldn't dream of letting her on it if it wasn't for the fact that she was wearing her helmet." He told her grabbing his black leather jacket off the hook and then pulling his arms through the sleeves and zipping it back it up. Then he grabbed his silver cross out of his pocket and put it around his neck. "Meet me outside when you're finished eating." He said before he pushed open the door and then walked outside.

As he started walking towards the driveway Naruto started walking down the street. Then he came to a sudden dead stop and gaped his mouth wide open and widened his eyes with shock as Sasuke swung a leg over his motorcycle. "Whoa,.." he began. "Hey Sasuke! You didn't tell me that you could drive a motorcycle!" he exclaimed.

"That's because I knew that if I did you would keep pestering me to give you a ride." Sasuke told him before Naruto raced up the driveway.

"Wow, it's so dark and shiny!" he exclaimed excitedly.

"I know. But don't touch it." Sasuke told him. "What are you doing here anyway?" he wondered.

"Two reasons. One, I was wondering how Sasame's doing." Naruto said.

"She's doing great, she's really excited about her first day at the academy." Sasuke responded.

"Well that's good. If she's anything like you were she'll do great at it." Naruto told him as Sasuke grinned at him.

"Thanks." He replied. "So what's the other reason?" he wondered.

"Well, I know that Hinata is going to sleepover here this weekend and so I was sort of wondering if you wanted to sleepover at my place. We've got an extra room so you don't have to sleep on the couch." Naruto told him.

"Alright." Sasuke began as he continued to grin at him and then nodded. "Sounds like fun." He said. "I really don't want to listen to two girls giggling all night anyway." He told him.

"Wow, that's great. I didn't think that you were actually going to say yes to tell you the truth." Naruto admitted.

"Naruto, listen to me. You and I have been apart for over a decade. I want to make up for all the time we lost. It made me realize that I was wrong for taking you for granted." He told him before he turned his head and watched his daughter come out through the door before turning his attention back to him. "Listen, I've got to go. I'll see you later. Love you." He told him as he put on his black motorcycle helmet while Sasame put on a pink one behind him. "Oh and one more thing, try to stay out of trouble." He said as she wrapped her arms around him tightly.

"See you guys later then. And good luck Sasame." Naruto told her with a grin before slowly backing away from them.

"Thanks Uncle Naruto!" she cried before Sasuke turned on his engine and raced down the driveway before squeezing the brakes at the end of it before looking both ways and then turning the corner speeding away down the street.

 _…_

As soon as Sasuke returned Sakura was there to greet him at the door with a solemn look on her face. "How did it go?" she asked him slowly glancing up at him.

"It went alright." He began. "How did things go here? Did something happen? You don't sound like yourself." He told her while she continued glancing away from him.

"Well it's just that Naruto called while you were gone." She began pulling a strand a hair out of her eye and then tucking it around her ear. "And he told me that Yoshi passed away." She explained.

"Oh no." Sasuke began. "Poor Naruto, he must be heartbroken. I know how much that dog meant to him. Next to me he was probably his best friend in the whole entire world." He said. "Listen, I know I just got back but I have to go over there and see him. He needs me right now." He told her.

"It's alright, I understand. I'll be waiting here when you get back." She told him before he grabbed ahold of her and turned his body towards her before placing a quick and tender kiss on her lips.

"See you later." He told her before he quickly hurried back out the door.

 _…._

Sasuke found Naruto up on the front porch and carried his motorcycle helmet up the driveway. "Hey." He began before he sat down next to him.

"Sasuke? What are you doing here?" Naruto asked him.

"Sakura told me what happened to Yoshi. And I'm really sorry." He told him as Naruto sadly hung his head. "What happened?" he asked him while he gently started rubbing his back as Naruto heaved a heavy sad sigh and rested his elbow down on top of his lap and his chin on the top of his hand.

"He was really old." He replied with a sniff. "And sick too. I had to put him down." He told him.

"Hey, I know it hurts." He began. "But trust me, you did the right thing." He told him.

"Oh really? Then why do I feel so awful about it?" Naruto questioned him.

"Simple. To the outside world Yoshi might have been just a dog but you and I both know he was way more to you than that." He told him. "He was a part of your family." He said as Naruto rested his head down on top of his chest.

"I just really can't believe he's gone you know." He said with another sniff before wiping his nose on the back of his hand before Sasuke wrapped his arms tightly around him and rested his chin down on the top of his head.

"I know. But it'll get better. Trust me." He said before planting a soft kiss on the top of his head and felt his heart beat steadily against his chest.

"Wow, you know,.. did you realize that all these years that we've been in this bromance that is the first time that you actually kissed me?" Naruto questioned him as Sasuke grinned.

"Yeah. That's because that's the first time that I thought I could get away with it without you trying to kill me. But, I thought that this time you actually needed it." He told him.

"Yeah, well just don't get used to it." Naruto told him as Sasuke laughed before he kissed his head again.

"Believe me, I won't." he began before he quickly got to his feet again. "Look, I can't believe that I'm actually saying this but how about I give you a ride down to the ramen shop? Would that cheer you up?" he asked him as Naruto leapt to his feet as well.

"Are you kidding!? It's like you read my mind!" he cried as Sasuke grinned.

"I figured. Come on. I'm driving though." He told him as he started turning around and walking away.

"Oh Sasuke, you're the best!" Naruto cried chasing after him.

"Yeah, I know. Just don't mention it or the fact that I kissed you and I can't stress that enough. I mean _ever_. Or I'll kill you. Got it?" he questioned him glancing over beside him.

"Understood." He replied with a nod and a nervous gulp.

"Good, now let's go before I come to my senses and change my mind." Sasuke told him.

"Alright, but are you sure that I can't drive?" Naruto inquired but Sasuke simply just narrowed his eyebrows and glared at him.

"No." he replied icily.

"Okay, okay, I was just asking. Geesh!" Naruto said before folding his arms with a scowl.


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter Thirty-Three; The Mysterious Traffic Stop

Sasuke crawled overtop of Sakura and started giving her passionate kisses in which she exchanged. Then he planted kisses down her body before giving her a final soft kiss in the center of her forehead. After that he cuddled her inside his chest so she could rest her head up against it and hear his heart beating. Sakura closed her eyes while Sasuke kissed the top of her head.

"That was a really sweet thing that you did for Naruto today." She told him.

"Yeah, well, what else could I do? He's my little brother and I just had to do something to cheer him up." He told her as she opened her eyes again and smiled warmly at him.

"Well I'm sure that you'll have a great time this weekend. Naruto really loves you you know? He looks up to you because you're his Sasuke." She said as Sasuke grinned back down at her while his heart continued pounding against his chest.

"Yeah, but I'm you're Sasuke first." He told her before they exchanged a final kiss on the lips.

"Goodnight Sasuke." Sakura whispered before she yawned sleepily and closed her eyes again.

"Goodnight." He told her before kissing the top of her head. "I love you." He whispered softly as he kissed her again while she drifted off to sleep inside his arms.

 _…._

That Friday afternoon after school Sasame stayed outside in the backyard practicing her backflips, kunai throwing, and her other ninja skills. Meanwhile Sasuke made sure that he had everything packed inside his bag before carrying it outside to his car. He pushed the unlock button on his keychain and opened his trunk before tossing his bag inside. As soon as he had slammed it shut he turned around to see Sakura standing there before him.

"Well, I guess I'm off to Naruto's for the weekend. Although with Naruto around, it'll be more like the week." He said as Sakura giggled.

"More like a month." She told him.

"Actually, better make that a year." He said.

"Do you want to say goodbye to Sasame before you go? She's still out in the yard." She said.

"Might as well. I'll go ahead and see how she's coming along." He told her before he turned around and rounded the corner. He watched as Sasame stood with her legs spread apart and crossed her two fingertips together.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" she exclaimed as there came a sudden puff of smoke but unfortunately found that she was still alone. "Grrr!" she growled before removing a kunia knife from her holster and throwing it into the target that was attached to the maple tree in front of her.

"Hey what do you know? Bullseye." Sasuke said as Sasame gasped before she turned her head to see him walking towards her.

"Oh Papa, it's just you." She replied before heaving a heavy sad sigh and hanging her head.

"Were you expecting Santa Claus or something?" he questioned her.

"No." she replied sadly before she sat down on top of the ground and hugged her knees to her chest. "It's just that I'm a failure as a ninja. I can't do anything right." She said before he sat down next to her.

"That's funny, because from where I'm standing it looks like that you've got your kunai knife throwing down pat." He told her. "Besides, don't be so hard on yourself. It's only your first week and already Iruka thinks that you're making a lot of progress."

"Yeah, but it's just that I'm scared." She began before she glanced up at him. "What if I don't make it? What if I don't graduate?" she asked him.

"Well then, you can just try again next year." He told her. "Look, as long as you try your best your mother and I will be proud of you no matter what you do." He assured her. "And so will your uncle Naruto. And speaking of which, I came back here to say goodbye. I'm spending the weekend with him and his children just like Aunt Hinata's coming over here." He explained.

"Well alright Papa, goodbye." She began before quickly got to her feet. "And I guess I'll just keep practicing until I get it right." She told him as he squatted down in front of her and grinned before poking her forehead.

"That's my girl. I love you and I'll see you when I get back." He told her before he stood back up and then turned back around and started walking away again.

"Love you too!" she called back to him before she started flipping again and throwing kunai knives over her head and into the target and then coming to a skidding stop inside the dirt.

"How is she?" Sakura asked him after he rounded the corner.

"She's fine. She just needed a bit of confidence that's all." He told her with a grin before he dug inside his pocket and fished out his car keys. "I better get going. Have fun with Hinata." He told her as he continued walking towards his car and then grabbed then handle by the driver's side and pulled the door open.

"Goodbye Sasuke!" Sakura cried with a wave while she watched him climb inside, turn on the engine, and drive away.

 _…_

Sasuke dug out his box of cigarettes with one hand while he steadied the steering wheel with the other one as he drove down the highway. Just as soon as he was reaching for his cigarette lighter his cellphone rang. "Ah shit." He groaned while quickly storing his box inside his pocket again and reaching for his cellphone instead and flipped it open before placing it up to his ear. "Hello?" he questioned.

"Hey Sasuke, I'm sorry for bothering you I was just sort of wondering when you'd be here." Naruto said. "I was just making sure that everything was alright." He explained.

"Everything is fine, I just got on the road." Sasuke told him before he slammed on the brakes. "Oops. Sorry. I guess I spoke too soon." He told him.

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked him.

"Traffic backup. It looks like there was an accident or something." He told him.

"Aw man! How long do you think that it'll last?" Naruto asked him.

"I'm not sure, but I'm hoping not too long." Sasuke replied before stepping back on the gas. "We're moving a little bit." He told him before he stepped back on the brake and stopped again.

"Well it's just that there's this movie that I think that you would really like to see and I was kind of hoping that we could also have time to get a bite of ramen before it starts." Naruto explained as Sasuke just simply groaned, shook his head, and rolled his eyes.

"I just took you for ramen earlier in the week remember? I swear, if you're not careful you're going to turn into a bowl of ramen." He told him before stepping on the gas and accelerating a little bit before stopping again.

"Well, we could always go bowling or something instead?" Naruto suggested.

"Don't worry about it. We'll figure it out when I get there." Sasuke told him.

"Well alright, I'll see you later then. And just so you know I'm really looking forward to this buddy." Naruto said.

"Yeah, me too. I love you and I'll see you when I get there." Sasuke told him.

"Alright, I love you too. Goodbye." Naruto said before they both hung up the phone. Sasuke stepped on the gas again at the same time he was shutting the lid back down on his phone and storing it away and then stepped back on the brake while he was fishing out his box of cigarettes.

"Damn it." He muttered underneath his breath. "This is going to take a while."

 _…._

By the time that Sasuke finally had made it to Naruto's it was pitch black outside. Naruto quickly raced out into the driveway as he saw his headlights pulling inside it. Then he came to a complete stop before turning off the engine and removing his keys. "Where the heck have you been!?" Naruto exclaimed once he had opened the door.

"Trapped inside the longest line of traffic in history." Sasuke replied while removing his seatbelt. "I was wrong when I said that I thought there was an accident. There were multiple accidents. It looks like too many people were out having sake tonight." He told him while he climbed out of the car and then slammed the door shut behind him.

"Really? That's unusual." Naruto told him as he started walking towards the trunk.

"I know. I've never seen so many car crashes in my life. There were at least ten of them that I saw." He said while he popped open the lid.

"Well, so much for bowling or the movies. It's almost ten o'clock already. I was just getting ready to put Hokori to bed." Naruto said glancing down at the ground while Sasuke removed his bag out of the trunk and placed the strap around his shoulder.

"It's alright. We can do something tomorrow." He reassured him while slamming the trunk shut again and locking his car up tight.

"Well, we ordered pizza tonight. There's some leftovers in the fridge for you that you can heat up if you want to." Naruto suggested as Sasuke grinned back at him.

"Thanks. I'm starving, but first I have to take care of something else. It's the number one thing that you have to do after being stuck in traffic for hours." He said.

"Gotcha." Naruto said as they started walking towards the front door together.

"Then I think that I'll give Sakura a call and let her know that I'm alright and that I made it in one piece. Even though I was starting to have my doubts." He said.

"I don't know Sasuke, something just doesn't add up here." Naruto began. "You left the house at a quarter till five. I've never heard of a line of traffic lasting for nearly five hours." He told him while they glanced over at each other.

"Me neither, but there's nothing that we can do about it now." Sasuke told him before they pushed the door open and went inside the house together.


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter Thirty-Four; The Nightmare

Sasuke flushed the toilet before turning on the faucet to wash his hands and then walked out of the bathroom. A long black haired blue-eyed little boy wearing blue robes met him inside the hallway. "Hey." Sasuke began. "What are you still doing up?" he wondered before Naruto heaved a deep and heavy sigh.

"Hokori, I thought I told you that it was time to go to bed." He said.

"I'm sorry Dad, but I just wanted to say hi to Uncle Sasuke." Hokori explained while Sasuke simply just grinned down at him.

"Hi." He began. "It's nice to see you but I think that you should do what your father says. I'll see you more in the morning. I have to make a phonecall anyway." Sasuke told him before he walked into the kitchen. Hokori suddenly found himself being swooped up inside his father's arms.

"Come on Dad!" he groaned as he simply just scowled at him. "How many times do I have to tell you that I'm too big to be carried around!" he exclaimed.

"When you're old enough to listen to instructions the first time that I give them to you." Naruto told his son before planting a kiss on his cheek before he quickly wiped it away.

"I just wish that you would stop treating me like a baby." He groaned as Sasuke just simply shook his head and rolled his eyes before stifling a laugh.

"Where have I heard _that_ before?" he wondered to himself before digging inside his pocket and taking out his cellphone. He flipped open the lid before pressing the speed dial button on his home number. Then he placed it up to his ear and waited a few seconds before his wife answered the phone.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Hey Sakura, it's Sasuke." He replied. "I hope that I'm not calling too late." He added.

"Sasuke? Did you just get to Naruto's?" she questioned him with uncertainty and bewilderment.

"Yeah. The traffic was crazy." He began before he felt his stomach grumble. "And I haven't even had dinner yet." He told her.

"Wow." Sakura began. "I never heard of it being _that_ busy before. I'm sure glad that you're alright though." She told him.

"Yeah. I figured that you would want to know that I made it. So how are things over there?" he asked her.

"Well Hinata and I just finished giving each other a makeover and now Sasame's getting ready for bed." She told him. "Do you want to say goodnight to her?" she wondered.

"Yeah. Go ahead and put her on the phone." He told her.

"Alright, hold on one second." Sakura told him before Naruto walked back out into the kitchen.

"Hey Sasuke, is that Sakura on the phone?" he asked him.

"It was, but now she's getting Sasame so I can tell her goodnight. I can put it on speaker if you want me to." He said.

"Yeah, sure, I'd love to talk to her." Naruto told him before he pressed the speaker button and then removed the phone from his ear. A few moments later he heard his daughter's voice on the other end of the line.

"Hello?" she questioned as Sasuke gave a warm and affectionate smile.

"Hello sweetheart. Your mother told me that you're getting ready for bed and your uncle Naruto and I wanted to tell you goodnight." He explained.

"I also wanted to know how your training was coming along." Naruto said.

"Oh, that, well,.. I'm afraid that I'm not really making a lot of progress. Maybe I'm not really a great Uchiha after all." She said.

"Don't be ridiculous." Naruto began. "If you haven't given up yet and you're still training then it sounds like you've already made quite a lot of progress." He told her.

"Well, we better let you get to bed." Sasuke said.

"I'm not going to bed yet. Mom just said that I had to put on my nightgown and brush my teeth and then we could watch High School Musical together since it's not a school night." She told him as Naruto shuddered.

"I'm glad that Himawari's not into that movie because I can't stand it." He said quietly hoping that his niece wouldn't be able to hear him.

"Well, I just got here so I've still got to eat supper so I'm going to let you go alright? I love you and I hope you have a goodnight sleep." Sasuke told her.

"That goes the same for me." Naruto said.

"I love you guys too and Mom says goodnight as well." She told them.

"Alright, well give her a kiss for me." Sasuke instructed.

"I will. Goodnight Papa, goodnight Uncle Naruto." She told them before both of them said goodnight together and Sasuke hung up the phone. Then he flipped the lid back over and stored it inside his pocket before walking over towards the refrigerator.

 _…._

Naruto waited outside the bathroom door for Sasuke to finish changing into his robes. A few seconds later the door opened and he stepped outside of it. "All yours." He told him.

"Thanks Sasuke." Naruto began before noticing the cross necklace inside the palm of his hand. "You know I was wondering about that." He said as he pointed at it. "Are you religious or something or do you just use it for a bit of bling?" he asked him as Sasuke glanced down at it.

"I wouldn't say yes to either of those. I'm what you might call spiritual not religious. Meaning I'm one of the few percentage of Japanese people that believe in God and stuff I'm just not a big church going person or a bible thumper." He explained.

"Oh. I see. I'm the same way and so is Hinata. Well I hope you have a good night sleep then." Naruto told him.

"I'll try but I'm still pretty hungry since you wouldn't let me eat very much of the popcorn, and I hardly saw the movie because you were blocking the television screen." He said as Naruto sheepishly glanced down at the ground.

"Sorry." He apologized quietly before Sasuke took a deep breath and sighed heavily.

"That's alright, just please do me a favor and _think_ about what you're going to do in the future before you do it." He told him as Naruto nodded.

"I will. I promise." He said.

"Good. See you in the morning." Sasuke said before he turned around and started carrying his things towards his bedroom.

 _…_

Sasuke was sound asleep inside his bed when all of a sudden Naruto pushed the door open and climbed up onto his bed rapidly starting to shake him awake. "Sasuke!" he whispered. "Sasuke wake up!" he exclaimed inside the same hushed tones.

Sasuke groaned before he rolled over onto his side. "It's two-thirty in the morning. Go back to sleep." He mumbled.

"I can't." Naruto began nervously. "I had a nightmare." He admitted.

"What are you like four years old? I said go back to sleep." He grumbled.

"No you don't get it. My nightmare wasn't about me or even you." Naruto began. "It was about Sakura and Sasame." He told him anxiously before Sasuke finally opened his eyes, sat up, and turned on the light. "I think they're in danger." He told him worriedly.

"What makes you say that? What happened to them? I mean in the dream?" he questioned him.

"Orochimaru was after them." Naruto replied.

"Really? Did he say why? Was he using them as bait to get to you?" Sasuke asked him.

"No. He wanted Sasame but Sakura kept standing in the way. He said he wanted her power but I didn't have any idea what he was talking about. Sasuke, I'm scared." He told him. "What if my nightmare comes true and he tries to hurt them?" he questioned before Sasuke wrapped his arms around him and hugged him tightly before resting his chin on the top of his head.

"Don't worry. There's no way in hell that I'm going to let that happen." He assured him feeling Naruto's body starting to tremble. He should have known that Naruto would have been more concerned about them before himself. "Shh,.. it's alright." He whispered gently rubbing his back and kissing the top of his head softly. "It's alright."


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter Thirty-Five; True Shinobis

"Hello everyone! Naruto Uzumaki here! Although since I've sort of been adopted by Sasuke, I guess you could start calling me Naruto Uchiha." Naruto began with a little chuckle. "Anyway, I have just a couple of announcements before we continue this story. First of all, guess what!? We've just reached the halfway part that is the major plot and biggest part of the story! Second of all, since it's been thirty-five chapters now we want to take this time to gather some feedback for you. And Sasuke's going to explain that part to you now." Naruto said before he turned around and looked at his friend.

"That's right." Sasuke began with a nod. "As Naruto said we're halfway through the story. So we want to know how and if you're enjoying it so far. So please leave a comment down below in the review section and be sure to check out Chucky Ray's profile where a new poll has been added so you can leave your opinion about it." He said.

"And please, if you think that this story could use some work, let us now! We love to hear all of your opinions, comments, and or suggestions. Just please no hateful comments. Trust me, my brother Sasuke doesn't take to kindly to flamers and you don't want to piss him off. Believe it." Naruto said shakily. "So, is there anything that you want to add Sasuke?" he questioned him.

"No. I think that pretty much covers it." He replied.

"Well, you heard it for yourself! Considering the fact that we don't have any more announcements we'll get back to our first adventure in An Uchiha Warrior Saga. All I can say now is that I really hope that you're enjoying the story so far and don't forget to review and take the poll! Later!" Naruto exclaimed with an excited grin and a wave.

 _…._

The next morning Sasuke woke up and slowly headed out into the kitchen for breakfast. He groaned and heaved a deep and heavy sigh before Hokori entered the kitchen. "Wow, what happened to you?" he questioned him.

"I stayed up half the night with your father that's what." He said before he opened one of the cupboards and took out a bowl before setting it down on top of the counter and rubbing his eyes. "I didn't think that I would _ever_ get him back to sleep." He told him before opening one of the drawers and grabbed ahold of a spoon before setting it down next to the bowl.

"Why? What happened?" Hokori asked him but before Sasuke could respond he heard his cellphone vibrating.

"Hold on a second Hokori." He said before he hurried back over to the kitchen table to answer his phone. "Hello?" he questioned.

"Hey Sasuke, listen I know that it's early and I'm really sorry for bothering you but I need to talk to you." She said.

"That's alright. I need to talk to you too." He told her.

"Is Naruto up yet?" she wondered.

"No. He's still out like a light. He had a pretty hard night last night." Sasuke told her as he started walking towards the front door before he pushed it open and sat down on the front porch.

"So did Sasame." She replied heaving a sad sigh.

"Why? What happened to her?" Sasuke asked her anxiously. "Is she alright?"

"Well, she said that she had a nightmare but I'm sort of wondering if she really had another vision while she was asleep." She said.

"Hmm, that's strange. Naruto had a nightmare last night too. He woke me up at two-thirty in the morning. He was really shaken up about it too. I've never seen him so freaked out by anything before. What was hers about?" he inquired.

"She told me that she had a nightmare that Orochimaru had found out about her physic powers and wanted to drain her chakra." She explained as Sasuke gaped his mouth wide open and grew silent. "Sasuke? Are you still there?" she asked him.

"Yeah, I'm sorry, I'm still here it's just that you sort of caught me off guard. Naruto told me that he had a nightmare that Orochimaru wanted her power as well although you were standing in the way of it and trying to protect her." He told her.

"You don't think that Naruto's physic too do you?" she wondered.

"No, I don't think so." Sasuke began. "We would have already found that out."

"Oh and Sasuke there's one more thing." Sakura began.

"What's that?" he asked her.

"Well, it's about Naruto." She replied.

"What about him?" he asked her back.

"She dreamed that he,.. that he was killed." She told him as an instant silence fell over them again.

 _…_

Later on that morning Naruto finally woke up and got out of bed with a great big yawn and stretch. He quickly threw on his clothes before racing down the hallway and running into Himawari coming to a complete and sudden stop in front of her. "Oh, hello princess." He began smiling affectionately at her. "Have you seen your uncle Sasuke?" he asked her.

"Yeah you just missed him. He took a walk down to the lake." She replied. "But he told me to tell you that he took his car keys with him so that you wouldn't get any ideas." She told him.

"Rats!" Naruto exclaimed. "Oh well, thanks anyway sweetheart. I better go ahead and catch up with him. You're in charge of the boys." He told her before quickly hurrying out the door. "I love you!" he called over his shoulder with a wave before she simply just groaned and rolled her eyes.

"Well it looks like as usual my father's going out and I'm the one being stuck as the babysitter." She said to herself. "It's funny, you would think that I would get used to this by now." She said before she turned around and walked away.

Meanwhile Sasuke had picked up a pebble off of the dirt and tossed it into the lake furiously. He started down into the ripples and his own reflection while heaving a heavy sigh before seeing Naruto's appear beside his. "Hey Sasuke, what's up?" Naruto asked him but Sasuke simply just scowled at him. "Himawari told me that you were down here." He said.

"Go away. I'm not in the mood." Sasuke told him before he picked up another stone and skipped it across the water.

"Why? What's the matter Sasuke?" Naruto questioned him.

"I said _go away_ Naruto." He told him louder and firmer.

"Why? What did I do?" Naruto asked him.

"Nothing. And I want to keep it that way." He said before picking up a third pebble and throwing it into the water as fast and far as he could.

"But you're still not making any sense. I want to know why_" Naruto began.

"Oh my God!" Sasuke roared. "Do you honestly have to know every single detail about my life!?" he hollered.

"I'm sorry Sasuke, it's just that,.. you're my brother and I care about you." Naruto told him before Sasuke hung his head and heaved another sigh.

"I can't tell you. It would totally devastate you." He said.

"Come on Sasuke we're friends. You can tell me anything." Naruto told him as Sasuke slowly titled his head up towards the sky with a solemn expression on his face.

"You know that nightmare that you were telling me about last night? Well Sakura called me this morning and told me that Sasame had the same one." He explained while Naruto simply just scratched his head.

"Really? That's strange." Naruto told him.

"And that's not the worst part either." Sasuke said before slowly turning back around to face him. "She's psychic ." He told him.

"Really? You mean that she can see the future and everything?" Naruto asked him with uncertainty.

"Yes. And she dreamed that you died trying to protect her." He explained before tilting his head back up at the sky.

"Oh I see. So this is what this is all about." Naruto said. "Well, how do you know she's really I psychic? I mean I had the same dream and I completely normal as far as I'm aware of."

"Trust me. She is." Sasuke told him. "Which is why I'm afraid that I have to leave the hidden leaf village again and stop her vision from coming true." He said as a few moments of silence passed between them before Naruto placed a comforting hand upon his shoulder and rested it there.

"Count me in." he told him before he whirled around again faster than he had ever done before in his life.

"No!" Sasuke exclaimed. "Didn't you hear what I just said!? If you come with me you'll die and I can't lose you again!" he cried.

"Listen Sasuke, maybe you're right. Maybe she really is psychic . But just because she had a vision about the future doesn't mean that it'll come true." Naruto told him.

"I can't take that risk. I have to do this on my own. I already lost you once and I'm not going to do it again. I love you Naruto." Sasuke told him as a tear rolled down his cheek followed by several others that fell onto the ground beneath them.

"And I love you too. And I also love Sakura and Sasame just as much as you do. They're my family too you know. Besides you can't do this by yourself Sasuke. Don't you remember what Kakash-Sensei taught us? True shinobis have to act like a team. And you know what? Maybe it's just me, but I think that we make a pretty great one." Naruto told him smiling warmly at him as he smiled back through his tears.

"You're right Naruto." He began. "Alright so I'll admit it. Maybe I can't stop you from coming with me. After all, you are a grown man and Sakura and Sasame are your family just as much as mine. But promise me one thing. Promise me that you'll be careful. Because I can't bear to picture my life without you." He said with a sniff before rubbing his nose on the back of his hand.

"Don't worry, I promise Sasuke." Naruto told him while continuing to smile at him. Sasuke flashed him another sad smile before sniffing again and turning back around to look over the lake.

"Now all that I have to do is tell Sakura." He said.


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter Thirty-Six; The Promise

Sasuke pulled his car inside his own driveway before putting on the brakes, parking it, and turning off the engine. Then he heaved a heavy sigh while he slowly turned his head and looked over at Naruto. "This is it." He told him as Sasuke hung his head and sighed.

"I don't think that I can do this. Both of them are going to be crushed." He told him.

"I know, but you don't have any other choice." Naruto said as Sasuke heaved another heavy sigh.

"Let's just get this over with." He said before pulling his keys out of the ignition.

"I'll wait here for you. That way you can have your moment alone with them to say goodbye." Naruto told him as Sasuke smiled sadly at him before planting a kiss on his cheek.

"Thank you. I'll be right back." He told him before he threw off his seatbelt and climbed out of the car and then slammed the door behind him again. He clung to his cross necklace while he slowly walked up the driveway and over to the front door. As he rang the doorbell Taki leapt up onto the couch and started to bark at him. Sasuke took a long drawn out breath and scowled. "It's me you idiot." He muttered underneath his breath before his wife answered the door.

"Sasuke? What are you doing back here so early?" she questioned him with uncertainty before stepping out onto the porch. "I thought you were spending another night over at Naruto's." she said.

"I was." Sasuke began. "But I really needed to talk to you."

"Is Naruto alright?" she asked him nervously.

"He's fine. He decided to wait in the car." He replied.

"Ah phew, because for a second there I thought_" she began breathing a sigh of relief while wiping sweat off her forehead before Sasuke suddenly interjected.

"Sakura." He began.

"What is it Sasuke?" she asked him.

"Look, this isn't easy for me to say to you at all so I might as well just say it and be done with it. The fact is that Naruto and Sasame both had the same dream about Orochimaru coming after you and her. So Naruto and I are leaving to make sure that that doesn't happen." He told her before Sakura let out a rather loud and astonished gasp.

"What?" she questioned him as he took ahold of both her hands and held them inside her own while gazing deeply inside her eyes.

"It's for the best Sakura." He told her but she quickly backed away from him suddenly feeling tears streaming down her cheeks.

"No! You can't go! Why would you do this to me!?" she cried.

"Because I love you. Don't you remember our first kiss where I promised you that I would never let you get hurt again. I promised that I would protect you and our daughter." He told her.

"But you also promised that you would never leave me again!" she yelled while the tears continued rolling down her cheeks.

"I know but that was before this happened. I'm sorry Sakura, I don't have a choice." He told her while he placed a tender hand to her cheek and rubbed away her tears with his thumb and kissing her lips passionately while his heart pounded against his chest. "I have to do what's best for you and our daughter." He told her.

"Do you have to go?" she sobbed blinking away the rest of her tears.

"I'm afraid so. I love you both so much that if I lost both or either of you I don't know what I would do." He told her before she glanced down at the ground.

"What about Naruto though? He's also in danger if he goes with you." She said.

"I know. And you don't have any idea of how worried I am about him. But he's grown man and the seventh hokage. I have to trust and have faith in him that he can take care of himself." He told her.

"And what!? I can't!? You said it yourself that I'm stronger than I used to be!" she snapped while her tears continued rolling down her cheeks and hitting the ground beside her feet.

"I know. But you have to stay here and take care of Sasame. As your husband and her father, I feel like it is my duty to protect you both. Especially Sasame since she's only still a child." He told her before she took a deep breath.

"You be careful Sasuke Uchiha." She began. "I want you and Naruto coming back home to me in one piece do you understand?" she questioned him.

"I promise." He told her before they both exchanged a kiss on the lips. "Now you have to promise me that you and Sasame will both be waiting for us when we get back." He told her while she slowly turned her head away from him but Sasuke quickly grabbed ahold of her chin and turned her head back over to face him. "Promise me now Sakura. After all, don't forget, you're also carrying our second child right now." He told her while he brushed some of her hair out of her face and tucked it around her ear. "Promise me now and never let go of that promise." He told her before she stifled a laugh and smiled through her tears.

"I should have never let you watch Titanic with me." She told him. "But I promise Sasuke. Just as long as you promise that you'll come back to me and never forget how much I love you. How I've always loved you." She said.

"I promise." He began. "And I love you too." He told her before he wrapped his arms around her tightly and pulled her inside his chest before they both closed their eyes and started kissing each other passionately. Sasuke even let his tongue slip inside her mouth quite a few times before they broke apart. "Can you do me one more huge favor?" he questioned her.

"Sure, what is it Sasuke?" she asked him back.

"Say goodbye to Sasame for me. I'm afraid that if I did it myself that she would run after me and try to stop me. And I don't want to break her heart any more than I already must. Just give her a kiss and explain to her that I'm doing this for her as well as for you since I love you both more than my own life." He told her as she nodded at him.

"Alright, alright I will. I promise. I'll tell her." She told him as Sasuke closed his eyes and leaned his face towards hers before giving her one last kiss goodbye and then turned around and hanging his head slumped down the driveway while Sakura helplessly just watched him go. Then she watched as he stopped by his car and lifted his head again and turned over to look at her as a tear rolled down his cheek. "Goodbye Sasuke." Sakura whispered before she watched him climb back inside the car and drive away.


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter Thirty-Seven; The Path to Redemption

Sasuke quickly slammed on the brakes and a came to a screeching stop on the side of the road before turning his head over to look at Naruto. "You know I just realized something." He began. "You didn't get a chance to say goodbye to Hinata did you?" he questioned him but Naruto just breathed a heavy sad sigh and hung his head.

"Nah just forget about it. I already said goodbye to the kids and I would much rather that they would be the ones saying goodbye to her for me." He replied.

"Well alright, I know how you feel." Sasuke told him before he stepped back on the gas and accelerated again. Naruto slowly turned his head and looked outside the window before resting it up against his seatbelt. "Are you okay?" he asked him before he put his foot back on the brake and stopped again turning back over to look at him.

"No." he answered.

"Me neither." Sasuke began. "But remember what you told me? We're a team and we're going to get through this together. Just like we've always had." He finished as Naruto lifted his head again and turned it back over to look at him and grinned.

"Just like we always will." He told him.

"Hn." Sasuke began grinning back at him. "It's hard to believe that someone so annoying as you can really be so loveable when you want to be." He told him stepping back on the gas for the second time and turning the corner.

"What are you talking about? I'm always loveable!" he exclaimed indignantly while folding his arms.

"Correction. I always love you but you're not always easy to love." Sasuke told him.

"Oh yeah? Well speak for yourself Sasuke!" he snapped before growling and turning his head away from him as Sasuke laughed.

 _"Boy, he sure is lucky he's cute."_ He thought to himself.

 _…._

Sasame heaved a heavy sigh while she sat at the edge of the dock dangling her legs over it. That's when suddenly she heard footsteps behind her. She gasped before quickly turning her head around only to see Boruto standing behind her. "Oh Boruto, it's just you." She said before turning her head again and looking back out over the ocean while he sat down right beside her.

"Yeah, I just came over to see how you were doing." He said.

"Really? What would you want to do that for?" she wondered.

"Well, because you and I are cousins after all and I know that it must be hard having your father suddenly take off like that and leave you and your mother behind." He told her.

"Yeah, it is. Just like I'm sure that it's hard for you too." She said.

"No, not really. I'm used to it. Even when my father is in the hidden leaf village he's hardly ever around. He's too busy working. He doesn't have a lot of time for me or my mother. And my little brother and sister." He told her. "But you've had your father around ever since you were a baby." He pointed out.

"Yeah. And he's never been away from me and my mother for more than a day. We don't even know where he's going or when he'll be back. In fact, we don't even know if he's coming back at all." She admitted with another sad sigh.

"My father said that a long time ago your father did leave the hidden leaf village behind and tried to destroy it." Boruto said.

"What!?" Sasame exclaimed with incredibility and disbelief.

"Yeah I know. He wasn't always as nice as he is now. My father said that he used to be a rogue ninja and tried to kill him and your mother." Boruto said before Sasame quickly leapt to her feet and pointed an angry finger at him.

"That's a lie! My father would _never_ try to do that to her!" she yelled while narrowing her eyebrows and glaring at him before he jumped to his feet as well.

"Oh yeah, well if I'm a liar that makes my father one as well!" he cried as they both growled at each other before Sasame clenched her fists together. "You know, instead of accusing him for being a liar for something you're not even sure of yourself, why don't you just go ask your mother instead! I mean after all, she _was_ there!" he hollered.

"Fine! I will!" Sasame snapped before turning her back towards him and folding her arms and then running away.

 _…_

Sasame slammed the front door as she came inside the house. "Wow, what's got you so upset?" her mother asked her.

"Boruto!" she cried.

"Uh oh, what happened?" she asked her.

"He said that his father told him that my father used to be a rogue ninja and that he tried to kill you but I told him that he was lying!" she exclaimed while Sakura sadly glanced down at the ground. "Isn't that crazy?" she questioned before Sakura took a deep breath and sighed.

"Yeah, insane." She answered.

"You mean,.. he really did?" Sasame asked her.

"Listen Sasame, what you've got to understand about that is that your father hasn't had an easy life. I mean his whole entire clan was murdered by his own brother when he was just a little kid." She told her daughter.

"It was?" Sasame questioned her with uncertainty while widening her eyes with bewilderment.

"He was a whole different person back then. He wasn't in his right mind. But after all that time that your uncle Naruto and I continued staying by his side he eventually apologized and he fell in love with me. He would _never_ try and hurt me now or you. You have to understand that." She said as Sasame heaved another little sigh.

"I guess so." She replied.

"Your father loves you Sasame and so do I. That's the whole entire reason he's doing this you know. He's trying to find his redemption and protect us." Sakura told her before planting a kiss on her cheek. "You'll understand someday." She told her before she turned around and walked away.


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter Thirty-Eight; Family Feud

Sasuke pulled inside the hotel parking lot before pulling up to the curb and putting the car in park. "You know Sasuke it just occurred to me." Naruto began as the windshield wipers continued swishing back and forth and Sasuke's foot squeaked up against the brake pedal. "Where exactly are we going anyway?" he asked him. "I mean, we're supposed to be going to the sound village aren't we? So what are we doing all the way out in the middle of nowhere?" he questioned.

"Use your head Naruto." Sasuke began. "Orochimaru and the other sound villagers are expecting us so we have to surprise them and go a different way." He told him.

"Really? Are you sure that you aren't just saying that to make up for the fact that you have no idea what you're doing?" Naruto asked him.

"Of course not you idiot." Sasuke muttered underneath his breath before throwing off his seatbelt. "Now come on, we're each in charge of bringing our own suitcases inside." He told him.

"Okay, but if I'm such an idiot then why did you agree to let me come along with you?" Naruto wondered as his unfastened his own seatbelt.

"You didn't really give me a choice. If I had my way you would have stayed back home with Sakura and Sasame and your own wife and children." Sasuke told him before he climbed out of the car. "You know, we've only been on the road for six hours and already you're starting to get on my nerves." He said as Naruto climbed out from the other side and they both slammed their doors behind them.

"Well _excuse me_ all mighty Sasuke!" he snapped. "You know, I was going to tell you something really neat too but I'm not gonna now." He said folding his arms and turning his back towards him with a scowl.

"That's it! I can't stand it anymore! It's like I'm your babysitter or something!" Sasuke exclaimed while he quickly hurried over to the trunk and pulled it open tossing Naruto's suitcase out on top of the curb before grabbing his own.

"How rude." Naruto muttered quietly while Sasuke slammed the trunk shut again.

"I'm going to go park. Do as your told and wait for me in the lobby." He told him before climbing back inside the car and driving away while Naruto grabbed ahold of his suitcase and hugged it close to his chest while rain poured down on top of his head.

"You still owe me an apology for getting my stuff all wet you know!" he hollered before growling and narrowing his eyebrows and glaring in his direction. "What a bastard." He muttered underneath his breath before he turned around and walked inside. "Maybe I'm out of my mind or something, I mean all I wanted to do was help him out and he's treating me just like he used to when we were kids!" he yelled angrily before he tossed his suitcase down on top of the couch and then flopped down next to it folding his arms and glaring at Sasuke as he checked them in. "Sasuke!" he snapped inside a whisper.

 _…_

Sasuke tossed Naruto's bag over onto his bed. "Alright first let's some establish some ground rules." He began. "Your bed is over on that side of the room and my bed is on the other side. If you even cross one toe over onto my side you're dead!" he snapped as Naruto just simply scratched his head.

"Umm.. but what if I have to go to the bathroom or take a shower or something?" he questioned him.

"There's a truck stop down the street you can use that one." Sasuke told him before unzipping his bag.

"Yeah right!" Naruto exclaimed with a scoff. "And how exactly am I supposed to get out of here if I can't cross into your side of the room?" he questioned him with a roll of his eyes. "Why are you so pissed off at me anyway?" he asked him before he plopped down on the edge of his bed. "I didn't do anything to you that I can remember." He said before Sasuke took a deep breath and heaved a heavy sigh before he turned his head over to look at him.

"Naruto, I'm sorry. It isn't your fault. I guess that I'm just really stressed out right now due to the fact that I'm worried about Sakura and Sasame. That's no excuse for taking it out on you though." He said.

"Yeah,.. I'm sorry too." Naruto said before Sasuke walked over to him and sat down beside him with a grin.

"So what do you say? Friends again?" he asked him as Naruto grinned back at him.

"More than that, best friends." He said before they both bumped their fists together.

"I'm going to finish unpacking and then maybe we could watch a movie or play a game or something." Sasuke suggested before he quickly leapt back up onto his feet and walked back over to his suitcase while Naruto took a deep breath and heaved a heavy sigh as he fell back onto his bed on top of his back and stared up at the ceiling.

"I sure hope that Sakura and Sasame and everyone else are alright." He said before he rolled over onto his side and curled up into a little ball.

 _…_

Sasame finished packing all of her clothes and stuffed animals inside her own little pink suitcase before she zipped it up and put it around her back. Then she walked over to her desk and picked up the picture of her family portrait and heaved a small little sigh while she looked at her parents' smiling faces. "Mom said that the name Sasuke derived from a great warrior. I don't believe that he could ever really be what she once said he was. But even if he was, I'm not just going to stand by and let him and Uncle Naruto die out there all alone." She said to herself before she sat the picture back down on top of her desk next to the note that she had written to her mother.

Then she heaved another heavy sigh before she walked over to the window and turned back around to have one last glance at her bedroom. "I'm sorry Mom." She began as a tear rolled down her cheek. "Goodbye." She whispered before she turned back around, opened the window and then leapt outside of it and escaped into the night.


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter Thirty-Nine; Naruto's Plan

Sasuke heaved a deep and heavy sigh while he stared out the window and up at the moon thinking about Sakura. He was unaware that at that particular moment she was also doing the exact same thing for him. That's when suddenly Naruto opened the bathroom door and walked over to him. "Hey Sasuke you change now the bathroom's free." He told him before Sasuke snapped out of his trance and then slowly turned around to face him.

"Oh. Thanks Naruto." He said while smiling at him sadlly.

"Let me take a wild guess here." Naruto began. "You're thinking about Sakura again aren't you?" he questioned as he nodded before glancing back up at the moon.

"I can't stop thinking about her. I miss her so much." He replied.

"I know. I feel exactly the same way about Hinata. But look on the bright side, at least they're together." Naruto told him. "Besides, you've always got me to keep you company." He told him with a wide grin and a mischievous chuckle while wrapping a brotherly arm around him.

"Fantastic." Sasuke said sarcastically.

"Well, I'm going to bed buddy. I'll see you in the morning." Naruto told him before giving a rather loud yawn and stretched his arms out wide before he turned around and walked away.

"Alright, goodnight Naruto." Sasuke told him as he continued staring up at the moon and the rest of the starry sky. "Goodnight Sakura." He whispered before turning around and walking away from the window.

 _…._

Sasame slowly continued along the path that would lead her to the gates of the village when all of a sudden she heard a familiar voice behind her. "Hey Sasame wait up!" she let out a rather astonished gasp before quickly turning around to see Boruto running towards her waving his hand.

"Boruto?" she questioned. "What are you doing here?" she asked him.

"Well I figured that since my father just automatically assumes that I can't be trusted that I would try to prove him wrong by rescuing him and Uncle Sasuke." He began. "What are you doing here?" he asked her back before she took a deep breath and then let it out again.

"I'm trying to prove a point to myself along with you and my mother. Mom told me that you were right about my father. But since I really don't believe that if he was once as bad as you said he was that someone like that really can change, then I decided that I'm going to find out whether or not it's true." She explained.

"Oh." He began. "Well, can I come with you then?" he wondered. "I mean considering the fact that even though it's for different reason we both want to find our fathers we might as well go together. That way we can protect each other." He told her.

"Well, I don't know about that. I haven't even graduated the academy yet." She began. "But Uncle Naruto always says that it's always best to use teamwork." She told him.

"Sounds like a great idea to me!" Boruto exclaimed before they started walking down the path together.

"By the way Boruto, I'm sorry that I yelled at you." She told him while glancing over at him.

"Oh that's alright. You've only known me for a few months so how are you to know that you can trust me? Especially when it sounded like I was offending your dad." He told her before she heaved a deep and heavy sigh and slowly turned her head away from him.

"Yeah, I know." She said.

 _…_

Sasuke laid wide awake inside his bed while Naruto slept peacefully inside his own. "Sure Sasuke, I'll eat all of your ramen for you." He said sleepily while licking his lips and continuing to snore. Sasuke rolled over onto his stomach and quickly covered his head with his pillow while clenching his teeth together. _"I don't believe this, he's even annoying when he's asleep!"_ he thought to himself before rolling back over onto his back and hiding his face into his pillow with a low and angry growl.

That's when suddenly he got an idea. He quickly leapt out of bed and picked up one of Naruto's socks and stuck it inside his mouth. "There. Now at least I can get some sleep." He said before he climbed back into bed and pulled the covers back over him before rolling over onto his side and thought about Sakura as he drifed back off to sleep. The next morning Naruto leapt up onto Sasuke's bed and started shaking him awake.

"Sasuke!" he exclaimed while continually shaking him over and over again. "Sasuke!" he cried again. "Wake up!" he told him as Sasuke yawned and slowly started to open his eyes.

"What?" he questioned as Naruto stuck his face down in front of his.

"Are you awake yet?" he asked him before he let out a petrified scream and fell off the bed and onto the floor. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." He told him as he quickly leapt to his feet again.

"Naruto!" he yelled angrily with astonishment.

"What!?" Naruto yelled back.

"Don't do ever do that to me again!" he cried feeling his heart beat frantically against his chest.

"Sorry. I just wanted to make sure that you were awake because I had something very important to tell you." Naruto told him.

"Well it better be after that stunt that you just pulled." He growled.

"All I was going to tell you was that I figured out how to destroy Orochimaru. I thought about it all last night." Naruto told him.

"Really? I don't see how you could have since you kept me up half the night with your snoring." He said.

"Come on Sasuke! I'm serious! I _really_ thought about this! At least just hear me out!" Naruto exclaimed before Sasuke took a deep breath and then let it out slowly.

"Fine. What's your idea?" he asked him.

"You once told me that the only way that Orochimaru could really die if is he didn't have a proper body to transfer his soul into right?" Naruto questioned him.

"Yeah? So?" Sasuke questioned him back.

"Well, what if he didn't? What if he didn't know whether or not a body was proper?" Naruto asked him.

"Umm..." Sasuke began.

"Don't you get it Sasuke? Shadow clones! I can use my Shadow Clone Jutsu on him to confuse him on which me is the real one to distract him! That way he can't absorb my chakra and you can get him with your Chidori." Naruto explained.

"Yes that's true." Sasuke began with a grin before he heaved a heavy sigh. "But what if he's able to find the real you?" he asked him nervously but Naruto just simply waved a hand at him.

"Well that's just the chance that I'm willing to take!" he exclaimed.

"Well I'm not. Not if it means putting you in danger." Sasuke told him.

"Look, it's not like we have an awful lot of options here. This is the only way I know for sure that we can beat Orochimaru for good and save Sakura and Sasame. Please Sasuke, you've just got to trust me." He pleaded before Sasuke took another deep breath and looked at him.

"Well alright. Just as long as you know what you're doing and you'll promise me that you'll be careful." Sasuke told him.

"You have my word." Naruto agreed with a nod as Sasuke grinned at him and nodded back.

"Alright. Let's do this." He told him.


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter Forty; Just A Little Bit of Fun

The next morning Sakura knocked upon her daughter's bedroom door. "Sasame, it's time to get up and get ready for school." She told her and waited for a few moments for an answer. "Sasame?" she questioned again after she didn't receive any response before slowly turning the knob and pushing her way inside the bedroom. She widened her eyes and gave a startled gasp of astonishment as she saw the note that was sitting on top of the desk with the word "Mom" written across it in her pink fancy cursive writing.

Meanwhile Naruto and Sasuke had just had finished showering and eating breakfast and were making their way towards the parking lot carrying their bags with them. "So we've got it all figured it out then. I'll distract Orochimaru from the front and then you can go ahead and make your surprise attack from behind." Naruto said while Sasuke dug his keys out of his pocket and unlocked the trunk with them. "I just hope that this works." He said while they both tossed their bags inside of it.

"Yeah, me too." Sasuke replied before he slammed the trunk shut again. "Come on, let's go." He told him as they both climbed inside the car and then slammed their doors behind them.

"Alright, but can we at least get some tunes or something playing in here?" Naruto questioned while fastening his seatbelt.

"No." Sasuke answered firmly while strapping on his own seatbelt and placing his keys inside the ignition and turning them. "I never listen to the radio." He told him as he turned on the engine and put his foot on the brake.

"Why not? Don't you listen to music?" Naruto asked him while he grabbed ahold of the gearshift and pulled it back into reverse.

"No." Sasuke replied again while he started backing out of his parking spot as Naruto simply just folded his arms.

"Well that's boring." He said with a scowl as he stared out the front window and slumped back inside his seat. "I think we need to fix that." He told him before he leaned forward towards the radio and Sasuke quickly slammed on the brakes and grabbed ahold of his hand.

"Naruto! Don't touch anything!" he scolded.

"My feet are touching the floor." Naruto remarked. "Just like my hand is touching yours." He pointed out.

"Stop being such a smart ass." Sasuke muttered underneath his breath before he stepped on the gas pedal again and accelerated before he started pulling away.

"You know what your problem is Sasuke?" Naruto questioned him.

"Yeah. You." He told him.

"No. You just need to loosen up a little bit. You're way too uptight!" he exclaimed as Sasuke quickly put on the brakes again and turned his head to look over at him.

"I am not!" he yelled back.

"Yes you are, you've just got to learn to have a little bit of fun every once and awhile. I mean, you don't even listen to your radio. It came with the car you know, you're allowed to use it." Naruto told him. "It's really easy, watch." He said before he pushed the button to turn it on and Twistin' The Night Away by Rod Stewart came. "Oh my gosh I love this song!" he cried before he turned up the volume and started singing along to it on the top of his lungs before Sasuke quickly turned it down.

"I don't even understand how you can hear yourself think with all that racket." He told him.

"Come on Sasuke, just give it a chance." Naruto said before Sasuke heaved a heavy sigh and rolled his eyes.

"Fine." He agreed reluctantly. "Just as long as it's quiet." He told him as he turned up the volume a little bit again before looking both ways and then pulling out of the parking lot while Naruto continued to sing along. "It's got a catchy beat to it I'll give you that much." He told him while he drummed his fingernails on top of the steering wheel and tapped his right foot.

"What are you doing?" Naruto questioned him with a sly grin.

"Nothing!" Sasuke exclaimed before quickly turning his head away from him.

"Admit it. You're enjoying it." Naruto told him while he pointed at him before Sasuke stopped again at a red light before turning his head back over to look at him. "Don't worry buddy, your secret's safe with me." Naruto told him with a grin. "Now come on! Here comes the chorus!" Naruto cried before he broke into song again. "They're twistin', twistin', twistin' the night away! Come on Sasuke sing along with me!" he exclaimed. "They're twistin',.." he began before he pointed at him.

"Twistin'." Sasuke said quietly with a grin.

"Twistin! Everybody's doin' great. Yeah we're twistin'," Naruto said before Sasuke echoed him. "Twistin' the night away!" Naruto cried out with song while swaying his arms around in the air over his head to the beat.

"Hn." Sasuke said with a grin before the light turned green again and he accelerated once more.

 _…._

Sakura quickly rushed over to Hinata's door and rang the doorbell. Then she waited a few seconds for her to answer it. "Oh, hello Sakura." She began while Sakura continued breathing heavily. "What are you doing over here?" she wondered.

"Sasame's gone." She began. "And I was wondering if she was over here with you." She explained but Hinata simply just shook her head.

"No, I'm sorry. I haven't seen her. Boruto's missing too. I just sent Himawari out to look for him." She replied.

"Oh great! I was afraid that this would happen. I have a feeling that they're in this together." Sakura began before heaving a deep and heavy sigh and sadly hanging her head. "I don't know what to do Hinata. I'm worried sick about her but I promised Sasuke that I would stay here." She said.

"Yes but didn't you promise him that before Sasame ran away?" she questioned her back. "I'm sure all that Sasuke wanted was for you to be here to protect her." Hinata told her before she looked back up at her and nodded with determination.

"You're right Hinata. I'm going after her. I'm going to find her and Boruto too and I'm going to bring them both back home where they belong." She told her clenching her fists as Hinata smiled at her before she watched her turn around and run away. "Goodbye Hinata!" she exclaimed waving a hand over her shoulder at her.

"Goodbye Sakura! Good luck!" Hinata shouted back.


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter Forty-One; The Search Party

"Hey Sasuke could you pull over for a second?" Naruto wondered glancing over at him while the radio played inside the background.

"Why?" Sasuke asked him back but Naruto simply just looked at him.

"How many things could I possibly have to do?" he questioned him as Sasuke heaved a heavy sigh and rolled his eyes.

"I thought I told you to go before we left." He mumbled underneath his breath.

"I know but that's only because I didn't have to go before, but I've _really_ gotta go now." Naruto replied while jiggling up and down as Sasuke sighed again and then hit the brakes.

"Make it fast." He told him.

"Thanks buddy, you're the best!" Naruto exclaimed before throwing away his seatbelt and opening the door and then slamming it shut behind him. After that he quickly rounded the corner and hurried into the woods. He spotted a bush and then unzipped his pants and breathed a sigh of relief as he relieved himself completely unaware that he was being watched. "Ah,.. that's so much better." He said zipping himself back up again before he slowly spun around again and saw a sound ninja standing in front of him giving a loud and astonished gasp.

"Sas_" he began inside a hoarse whisper but before anything else could come out of his mouth the other ninja quickly covered his mouth.

"Sorry Naruto, but even your precious Sasuke won't be able to save you now." He told him before picking him up and leaping up into the air. Meanwhile Sasuke took a deep breath and heaved a heavy sigh.

"What in the world is taking that loser so long?" he wondered aloud to himself. "Is he writing his whole entire name or something?" he questioned before taking his foot off the brake and putting the car in park. "I better go see what he's up to." He said reluctantly before he turned off the engine and then removed his keys from the ignition. Then he unbuckled his seatbelt and climbed out of the car. "Naruto!" he exclaimed while slamming the door shut behind him. "Come on, you've been long enough let's go!" he called as he started walking around the corner. "Naruto?" he questioned with uncertainty.

"Hmm.. that's funny. I wonder where he could be." He said before he started walking into the woods and cupped his hands out in front of his mouth. "Naruto!" he hollered frantically as a bunch of birds soared out from the bushes and then into the air. "This is crazy! Where is he!?" he cried before all of a sudden he felt his cellphone vibrate and quickly answered it. "Hello?" he questioned.

"Hello Sasuke, it's Sakura." She replied.

"Oh. I thought you were Naruto." He told her.

"Really? I thought that he was with you." She said.

"He was but now I can't find him anywhere and I'm really starting to worry about him." He told her.

"Well I'm sorry but I've got even more bad news. Sasame's gone. She ran away with Boruto." She told him.

"What!? She's gone!?" Sasuke cried with pure and utter astonishment and bewilderment while he felt his heart pounding even harder against his chest.

"I'm afraid so. She left late last night to go after you and Naruto." She told him.

"Great! First I find out that my best friend in the whole entire world disappears and now I find out that so has my daughter!" he cried.

"I'm sorry Sasuke. I know that I promised you that I would wait for you until you got back, but I already told Hinata that I'm going after Sasame and Boruto." She told him before he took a deep breath and sighed heavily.

"It's alright. All that I care about now is that she and Naruto are safe. You go after her and I'll find Naruto." He told her.

"Uh Sasuke? You don't think that Lord Orochimaru has him do you?" she questioned him anxiously.

"I don't know. I sure hope not." He told her.

"Well I really hope that you find him." She told him.

"Yeah, me too. I can't live without Naruto. And I'll trust you to find our daughter then." He told her.

"I will Sasuke. I promise." She told him.

"Alright. Be careful and I love you." He told her.

"I love you too Sasuke." She began. "Goodbye." She told him.

"Goodbye." He told her before he hung up the phone and then stored it back inside his pocket and then quick as a flash he ran away.

 _…_

"You know Sasame, don't take this wrong way or anything,.." Boruto began. "but now that we're out here how are we supposed to find them when we don't even know what direction that they went in?" he questioned her before they both suddenly stopped walking and Sasame gasped.

"Uh,.. I,.." she began before all of a sudden her eyes turned purple. She saw a vision of Orochimaru's hideout and a bunch of her uncle's clones attacking him outside of it while her father held a Chidori to his back. Then they instantly changed back to green and she let out another loud gasp.

"What is it? Did you have another vision?" he questioned her eagerly.

"Yes. They're at Orochimaru's hideout. The only problem is that I don't know where it's located at." She told him.

"I do. My father's told me that story a million times." Boruto told her with a wave of his hand.

"Really!? Where is it!?" she inquired.

"It's in the land of sound." He told her before she quickly grabbed ahold of his cheeks. "Ouch! Sasame that hurts!" he cried.

"Oh Boruto I could kiss you!" she exclaimed before planting a big wet kiss on his left cheek. "Come on! This way!" she cried before she turned around and ran away. Boruto just simply blushed before giving a mischievous giggle and then folded his arms proudly.

"Yep! Still got it!" he exclaimed enthusiastically.


	42. Chapter 42

Chapter Forty-Two; Doragon's Secret Weapon

Sakura parked her pink Honda inside the parking lot next to Sasuke's Mitsubishi. "It looks like Sasuke is already here." She said while she climbed out of the car. "Now I've just got to find him and everyone else." She said when all of a sudden she heard a familiar voice behind her.

"Hey Aunt Sakura! Wait up!" Himawari cried before Sakura gasped and quickly turned around. Himawari stopped in front of her while bendig over and trying to catch her breath.

"Himawari? How on earth did you find me?" she asked her while she slowly stood back up and revealed her white creamy colored eyes.

"You forget, I am the daughter of Hinata Hyuga. That means that I've inherited the byakugan. I've been tracing your chakra as well as Boruto's and Sasame's." she told her.

"That means that you know where they are then?" Sakura questioned her as she nodded.

"Yes. They're on their way here right now." She told her.

"That must mean that Sasame must have had another vision and knew that Naruto and Sasuke would be here." She began. "Himawari, can you track Naruto and Sasuke for me?" she asked her as she nodded again.

"Come on. This way." She told her before she turned around and ran away as Sakura chased after her.

 _…._

"You know this is really starting to get old." Naruto began while the sound ninja that captured him strapped him to the table. "How in the world did you find me anyway?" he questioned him.

"Let's just say that your darling niece isn't the only ninja around here with psychic abilities." He replied before all of a sudden a man with glowing devilish eyes entered the room.

"Hello Naruto, do you remember me?" he questioned him before Naruto let out a gasp of astonishment.

"Doragon." He realized.

"You see, my real name is Osamu Suzuki. My clan has had the power of the chienigan for centuries. However, considering the fact that the Suzuki's and the Uchiha's are distant relatives your niece was miraculously able to inherit it." Doragon explained to him but Naruto just simply narrowed his eyebrows and glared at him.

"Wait a minute, are you trying to say that Sasuke and Sasame are related to you?" he questioned him hotly with disbelief.

"In a way,.. yes. You see, Lord Orochimaru's original plan was to use the byakugan and the chakra of the Nine-Tailed fox to create the ultimate superweapon. However, once I prophesied that another child born with having the powers of the chienigan would one day become even stronger than I was I started making my plans to destroy her. And it just so happens that I had another vision that she's on her way here right now." He told him with a sly grin.

"You stay away from her!" Naruto yelled angrily at him. "You just watch! Sasuke's going to realize that I'm gone and then he's going to kick your ass for trying to hurt me and his daughter!" he snapped but Doragon gave a mischievous laugh.

"I highly doubt that there's anything that even Sasuke can do at this point. You see I left him in this position for a reason. If he tries to save you I'm going to kill his precious daughter. However, if he tries to go after her, I'm going to drain her chakra instead. It's basically a lose-lose situation for him either way. Sasuke's just going to have to decide who he cares about most. And I'm sorry Naruto, but I highly doubt that he's going to choose you over the life of his own daughter." He told him.

"YOU ROTTEN BASTARD!" Naruto roared as the lines on his face started to stretch out while his eyes instantly changed to red. Naruto suddenly found the strength with inside himself and broke himself free with a slash with his fingernails that were extending into claws. A great gust of wind blew throughout the room. Doragon placed his hands in front of him trying to shield himself from it but to no avail as it sent him down onto the ground.

Luckily for Naruto Sasuke was just walking down the hallway and gasped when he heard all of the commotion. "Naruto!" he exclaimed while he widened his eyes before racing inside of them. Naruto continued to growl at Doragon and hunched down on all fours having bits of his skin break off. "Oh no." Sasuke whispered. "Naruto! Stop!" he cried as he quickly ran out in front of his friend while he charged ragefully at Doragon and quickly grabbed ahold of him turning his body towards him.

"Come on Naruto it's not worth it! We have to get you out of here! Now come on, follow me!" he exclaimed while Naruto tried to push him away.

"No! I'm not going anywhere! This guy's trying kill Sasame!" he hollered.

"What?" Sasuke questioned him anxiously with uncertainty.

"He said that he was going to drain her chakra if you tried to save me! _You're_ the one who has to get out of here Sasuke!" he cried.

"No! I'm not leaving you here! Nobody's going to hurt either of you, I promise you that." Sasuke told him as Naruto heaved a deep and heavy sigh while his teeth and fingernails started returning to normal. "Come on Naruto, you have to trust me and stop this. You don't want to be like me. Your heart is already full of love and I'm not just going to stand here and watch you fill it with hate because I know that you're better than that. And you're a much stronger person than the demon inside of you because you're the one who learned how to control it." He told him as his eyes slowly turned back to blue.

"You're right Sasuke." He began. "Thank you for reminding me." He told him as they both exchanged warm and loving smiles.

"You're welcome, but we've got to get out of here and find Sakura and Sasame." Sasuke told him before they both nodded at each other and hurried out of the room.


	43. Chapter 43

Chapter Forty-Three; The Final Showdown-The Sharingan Awakens!

Sasuke's heart leapt with joy as he and Naruto ran outside. "Sakura!" he exclaimed excitedly.

"Sasuke! Naruto!" she cried with just as much enthusiasm as Sasuke hurried over to her and grabbed ahold of her face and turned it towards him greeting her with a passionate kiss in which she returned. "You don't know how happy I am to see you guys." She said.

"Believe me the feeling is mutual." Sasuke began. "Where's Sasame?" he questioned her.

"I'm not sure. Himawari's keeping an eye out for her though. She told me that she sensed her chakra along with Boruto's." she replied.

"We've got to find her and stop her from coming here." Sasuke told her. "She's in danger." He said.

"What do you mean she's in danger?" she asked him although she was reluctant to find out the answer.

"Doragon's after her." Naruto began. "He can see the future too and he wants to try to drain her chakra to stop her from overpowering him." He explained as Sakura let out a rather loud astonished and horrified gasp while feeling her heart speed up against her chest.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to let that happen." Sasuke assured her.

"Me neither! You can count on me! Make no mistake of it!" Naruto exclaimed but Sasuke just simply took a deep breath and sighed heavily before turning around to face him.

"Listen Naruto, with all due respect I think you should leave. This is my battle." He told him.

"No way!" Naruto yelled. "I'm not going anywhere!"

"Why do you always have to be so stubborn!?" Sasuke hollered.

"Because,.." Naruto began quietly. "You and Sakura and Sasame are my family. And family should always come before anything else. That's why as a shinobi and hokage of the hidden leaf village, I swear that I will always be willing to put my life on the line to protect you. That is my nindo, my ninja way!" he exclaimed as Sasuke stared at him with eyes full of love.

"Please Naruto," he began while slowly walking towards him. "I just don't want to see you get hurt." He told him.

"My, my, this is precious." A familiar hissing voice began before all three of them turned around to see Orochimaru stepping out of the shadows. "Two brothers willing to do anything to protect each other." He said. "It's funny, I remember a time not too long ago where they were willing to risk everything to overpower the other one and destroy each other." He said.

"The only one who's going to get destroyed is you!" Naruto grouched. "Stay away from my family!" he screamed on the top of his lungs.

"Well, well, I guess the little orphan boy found others to care for him after all." Orochimaru hissed.

"Yeah and you better stay away from him if you know what's good for you." Sasuke warned.

"Wow Sasuke, I have to say that I'm very surprised that you would be making such threats after your friend's warnings. That is, if you care about saving your precious daughter." Orochimaru told him.

"You stay away from my daughter." Sasuke growled while glaring at him with his sharingan eye. " _And_ Naruto. Or you'll have me to deal with." He told her.

"And me!" Sakura cried as Naruto nodded.

"Yep, there's no way in hell that you're getting me to back down!" he cried.

"No! I want you both just to stay out of this!" Sasuke snapped but that's when suddenly he heard a familiar scream and he gasped and already knew who it was before he spun around to face her. "Sasame." He said while Doragon wrapped his arm around her throat as she struggled to break free and remove it.

"I've got her Lord Orochimaru." He said while Sasame continued to struggle and gasp for breath.

"Let her go!" Naruto hollered before Sasuke had even had the chance to. "Besides, I'm the one that you want right? Take me instead." He told Orochimaru.

"Naruto no! Don't!" Sasuke screamed as Orochimaru laughed maliciously.

"Very well then. Doragon, let the girl go. This one is mine." He said as Doragon quickly let Sasame go before she rushed into Sakura's arms and tightly embraced her.

"Oh Sasame thank God that you're alright." Sakura said while Orochimaru charged at Naruto.

"Over my dead body." Sasuke growled underneath his breath charging back at him. "Run Naruto!" he cried.

"No way! I never back down on my word." He told him.

"I'm serious! Get out of here you idiot! Run while you still can! Don't you get it!? He's going to kill you!" Sasuke hollered.

"No way. If I do he's going to kill Sasame. And her life is a lot more valuable than mine since she's still a child." Naruto told him.

"You're mine Nine-Tailed Fox!" Orochimaru hollered leaping in the air above his head.

"NARUTO!" Sasuke hollered inside an echoing voice while skidding to a stop as his jaw dropped down wide open in terror. That's when all of a sudden from out of nowhere Sasame leapt in front of him and threw one of her kunai knives at him. He flipped over backwards a few times to avoid it before she skidded into the dirt in front of Naruto breathing heavily while Sasuke just watched her with disbelief.

"Man that was annoying!" she exclaimed before slowly lifting her head and revealing that her eyes had now turned red. "Leave my uncle Naruto alone!" she shrieked.

 _"Can it be?"_ Sasuke thought to himself questioningly.

"The sharingan." Sakura gasped while widening her eyes with pure and utter astonishment and bewilderment.

 _Sorry for the rather short chapter but I wanted to leave you on a cliffhanger. There's only a couple chapters left before I start the sequel. Wow! This is really starting to get exciting!_


	44. Chapter 44

Chapter Forty-Four; Sasuke's Plea

"Sasame!" Sasuke shouted frantically while his daughter continued to pant.

"My, my what a foolish little girl." Orochimaru began. "Do you honestly think that you're any match for me?" he questioned her.

"Get out of there Sasame!" Sakura cried fearfully as her face struck white with panic.

"Don't worry Mom." Sasame began. "He won't be able to hurt me if he can't catch me." She told her while spreading her legs apart and planting her feet firmly on the ground. Then she took a deep breath while placing her fingertips together. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" she shouted and in an instant there was a puff a smoke and several other clones surrounded her and Naruto gave a gasp of astonishment and bewilderment.

 _"Wow, I can't believe that she's been able to create so many clones when she hasn't even finished her first year at the academy yet."_ Naruto thought to himself as he widened his eyes and watched her. Meanwhile Sasame folded her arms proudly.

"Alright! Bring it on!" she harmonized with all of her other clones.

"I'm right here with you Sasame!" Naruto exclaimed excitedly before he crossed his own fingertips together. "Shadow Clone Jutsu Uzumaki style!" he shouted while twenty other clones surrounded him.

"I have to admit. She's pretty good." Sasuke said with a proud grin as all of the Naruto and Sasame clones leapt up into the air in different directions.

"Well I'm not just going to stand around here and not join the fight!" Sakura cried before pounding her fist into the trunk of a tree. "Cha!" she hollered on top of her lungs as the tree started to tremble and shake before falling right down in front of Orochimaru who was able to leap out of the way and dodge it just in the nick of time. He turned his head and glared up at Sasame clenching his teeth together and throwing a set of kunai knives at her. Her clones started vanishing while the real Sasame was able to dodge his attacks with his sharingan.

Naruto's plan was starting to work. All of his clones made Orochimaru spin around in different directions confusing him and making him dizzy. "Now Sasuke!" Naruto screamed on the top of his lungs as Sasuke placed a hand down in front of him.

"Chidori!" he exclaimed before he started charging towards him hoping to catch Orochimaru off guard.

"Hmm…" Orochimaru hissed before slowly turning around to face him and quickly grabbing ahold of his free arm. "So, this is it is it? This is your brilliant plan that you've conducted in the hopes of trying to kill me." He said as Sasame gasped and skidded to a stop inside the dirt. "As if your teamwork would ever be powerful enough to stop me." He said as Naruto gave out a rather loud and astonished gasp as he landed on the ground and the rest of his clones disappeared. "Well, you've made one little mistake Sasuke Uchiha. One way or another, I always win." He told him with a sly and mischievous grin.

That's when all of a sudden he quickly spun around and with his own free hand he withdrew a kunai knife. "No! Leave him alone!" Sasuke cried.

"You're too late Sasuke, he's finished." Orochimaru told him before throwing his kunai knife into Naruto's chest before he could avoid it.

"NO!" Sasuke screamed while Naruto let out a painful scream. That's when Sasuke had had enough. "You bastard!" he roared as Orochimaru continued to laugh at him. Sasuke was able to gather enough strength to shove his Chidori through his body before he gasped for air and then collapsed onto the ground. Meanwhile Naruto was able to grab the kunai knife and pull it out of his chest before hunching over as blood continued spilling out of him. "Naruto." Sasuke gasped before quickly rushing over to his aid and caught him inside his arms after he had lost his balance.

"Sa,.. Sasuke." He whispered.

"Shh,.. it's alright. I'm here, everything's going to be alright." Sasuke whispered back while continuing to gasp for air. "Just stay with me, you're going to be okay." He told him as Sakura and Sasame gasped while tears rolled down their cheeks.

"I'm sorry Sasuke. I'm sorry that I was always such a pain to you." Naruto told him.

"No. I'm the one who's sorry. I promised that I would be there to protect you." Sasuke said as his own eyes filled with tears while he remembered when they were kids and Naruto had been the one holding him close. "Just please, please don't leave me." He pleaded with a sob but Naruto just simply grinned at him.

"You never learn, do you Sasuke?" he questioned him while he took one last breath and closed his eyes and Sakura gasped again.

"No!" she cried.

"Come on Naruto, don't do this." Sasuke began. "Wake up you bastard!" he shouted on the top of his lungs while tears continued rolling down his cheeks. "Open your eyes damn it!" he yelled.

"Naruto." Sakura whispered while she and Sasame continued standing side by side weeping silently.

"Come on Naruto!" Sasuke shouted while he thought about everything that had been through together. Their time together as squad 7, the many quarrels they had and the good times that they had together. "You can't do this!" he shrieked while continuing to sob hysterically.

 _"That is my nindo, my ninja way!"_ Sasuke heard Naruto's voice say inside his head.

"Please,.. don't leave me Naruto." He pleaded. "I love you." He told him while he cuddled him close to his chest and felt a tear roll down his cheek and then landed on top of Naruto's face. Sasuke sniffed and closed his eyes before he continued to sob over the loss of his little brother. Sakura and Sasame hung their heads sorrowfully before Sasame noticed something out of the corner of her eye and gasped before tugging on her mother's sleeve.

"Look!" she exclaimed inside a whisper while pointing over at Naruto as Sakura quickly turned her head and gasped. Sure enough, Naruto's wounds were starting to heel and his body was starting to stir. While Sasuke continued crying Naruto gently put his hand on top of his and his eyelids started fluttering open. Sasuke gasped and turned to look back down at him as he felt his touch.

"Naruto?" he questioned with uncertainty.

"And I love you too." He told him.

"Naruto!" Sasuke exclaimed excitedly.

"You didn't think that you could get rid of me that easily did you?" Naruto questioned him with a grin.

"You're alive, you're alive!" Sasuke shouted while feeling his heart beat with joy as Sakura and Sasame jumped up and down with pure and utter excitement hugging each other while laughing and crying at the same time. Sasuke hugged Naruto close and planted a great big old wet kiss on his cheek.

"Hey Sasuke get ahold of yourself man!" Naruto shrieked but Sasuke just continued embracing him.

"I'm sorry. It's just that I thought I lost you. And I already lost one brother, I couldn't bear losing another one." Sasuke told him.

"I already told you, you're not going to lose me. That is if I don't die from suffocation first which from the way things are looking right now is a very big possibility!" Naruto exclaimed before Sasuke quickly let go of him and Naruto took a big gasp of air.

"Sorry." Sasuke apologized again. "Anyway, it's good to have you back." He told him while smiling at him lovingly and kissing his cheek again.

"Yeah, and it's good to be back. Now would you do me a favor and help me up already? I don't plan to be in this postion all night it's very uncomfortable." Naruto told him.

"Sure. Put your arm around my shoulder." He said while he helped him back up to his feet.

"Hey Sasame," Naruto began as he grinned at her. "You did great. And you're going to make a great ninja someday." He told her as she smiled back at him and blushed.

"Thanks Uncle Naruto. I'm just glad that you're alright." She told him. "Say, where's Boruto and Himawari anyway?" she questioned spinning her head around in all different directions.

"Right here!" Boruto exclaimed before everyone quickly spun around to see him tossing his kunai knife up into the air and then catching it inside the palm of his hand again while laughing mischievously. Himawari leapt down onto the ground beside him.

"We took care of Doragon." She began with a proud grin. "I don't think that he's going to be bothering us for a long time." She said as Sasame giggled when she realized that Doragon was tied up and gagged to the tree behind them.

"Good job Boruto! I knew that you could do it!" she cried as it was Boruto's turn to blush.

"Gee, thanks Sasame." He told her.

"Well, come on. We better go home." Sasuke said before he turned around and started walking away.


	45. Chapter 45

Chapter Forty-Five; A True Hero

"Huh?" Sakura wondered aloud to herself while she watched him leave before she chased after him. "Hey Sasuke, wait up a second would you?" she questioned before she came to a stop in front of him and he turned around to face her.

"What is it?" he asked her back.

"I just wanted to make sure that you were alright. I mean you walked away from us awful quick." She told him.

"Relax, I'm fine. It's just that something really worries me. Boruto and Himawari may have been able to defeat Doragon this time but I'm afraid that he'll try and go after Naruto again." He told her.

"Yeah well he's got to have a few screws loose inside his head if he does. Because nobody messes with your little brother and gets away with it!" she exclaimed before he simply just took a deep breath and sighed heavily.

"That's not all. I'm afraid that you are missing the point completely." He told her before he slowly turned his head and gestured towards Boruto and Sasame. "Look over there and tell me what you see." He told her as she slowly turned her own head and looked at them. Boruto was standing in front of Sasame and they both were exchanging friendly smiles with each other. Sakura giggled.

"It looks like Boruto and Sasame are finally starting to get along." She began. "In fact, I wouldn't be all that surprised if they were starting to like each other." She told him.

"That's just it." He began before turning to look back at her. "Orochimaru always used those close to Naruto as bait to get to him. And now that he's dead there's no doubt in my mind that Doragon will come back and be an even bigger avenger than I was. If Naruto's son and our daughter really do like each other then he'll probably use them to get to him." He explained.

"Uh Sasuke, no offense or anything, but I think you worry too much. I mean did you even s _ee_ Sasame? She was amazing! And so was Naruto and Boruto. I really do believe that they know to handle themselves out there." She told him before he heaved another deep and heavy sigh and slowly turned his head away from her and stared down at the ground.

"It's not that I don't have any faith in them but I almost lost Naruto today. And it really scared me. I _never_ want to have to go through something like that again." He told her.

"Listen Sasuke, I know how much you love them but if everybody in the hidden leaf village thought like that, then nobody would ever want to live their life as a shinobi. I mean it's a really dangerous job. You're constantly putting your life on the line, but you're doing it to protect the people that are precious to you." She told him.

"Hn." He began. "You're just about the cleverest ninja that I ever met." He told her with a grin before he turned around and saw his daughter standing there in front of him. "And you're just about the bravest." He told her.

"Thanks Papa, and I'm sorry for running away again." She told him while sheepishly hanging her head before he took a deep long drawn out breath and then let it out again.

"It's alright, I'm just glad that you're safe." He told her.

"Uh Papa? Do you mind if I ask you something?" she wondered.

"That depends. What is it about?" he questioned her.

"Well, you and Mom really love each other right?" she questioned him back.

"Well yeah obviously we do since you exist." He replied.

"Then why did you_ I mean_" she began while glancing down at the ground.

"Let me just take a wild guess here." He began. "You're wondering how we even got married if I used to be a criminal." He said.

"Yes." She answered quietly. "But you don't have to answer it if you don't want to." She told him.

"Listen Sasame, you already admitted that you made a mistake by running away again even if it was for the right reason. Your uncle Naruto admitted that he made a mistake when he almost lost control of the Nine-Tailed fox. And your mother and I admitted that we made a mistake about not telling you that you were really a ninja. Do you see where I'm going with this? Everyone except for one person makes mistakes." He told her while clutching onto his cross necklace.

"Nobody's perfect and as your uncle just proved, everyone has a little bit of darkness inside of them. It's what side that they choose to act on that matters. It's like Naruto said, even you Sasame, who have the gift of the chieningan doesn't mean that you should let the future control you. Because you're the one who's in control of it." He told her as she smiled warmly up at him.

"Thanks Dad, I love you." She told him.

"I love you too." He told her while squatting down in front of her and spreading out his arms for her to run inside of them. Then he smiled down at her and kissed the top of her head before hoisting her up inside his arms. "Wow, what have we been feeding you? You're getting heavy." He told her as she simply just giggled at him.

"Come on Dad, I'm almost a teenager now. I'm growing up!" she exclaimed.

"Oh great, now you're going to make me feel old." He told her as Sakura smiled at them while all three of them walked back to the parking lot together.

 _…_

 **Nine Months Later…**

Sasuke sat beside Sakura holding her hand and squeezing it tightly. "Alright come on Sakura, it's time to push." The nurse told her as Sakura gritted her teeth and pushed as hard as she could. "We're almost there, I can see the head." She said and sure enough a few moments later they heard the sound of their baby's cries. "Congratulations, it's a boy." The nurse told her as Sasuke smiled and tears of joy ran down Sakura's cheeks. "Do you want to cut the cord Sasuke?" she asked him.

"Sure." He began with a grin. "Especially since I didn't get a chance to last time." He told her before he got to his feet and walked over to her smiling down at his son who already had a head full of dark hair. He cut the cord while the baby boy continued to scream before the nurse cleaned him off with a towel and wrapped him up inside a blue blanket and handed him over to his mother. The tiny infant finally stopped crying and then opened up his bright green eyes and looked upon his mother's face for the first time.

"Oh Sasuke, he's so beautiful." Sakura began with a gasp of astonishment before kissing the top of his head as Sasuke sat down beside her again.

"I know. Sasame has a beautiful baby brother." He told her.

"So what do you think we should call him? I mean the first thing out of Naruto's mouth when we tell him it's a boy is what is his name going to be." She questioned him.

"Well,.. I think we should name him after Naruto." Sasuke began with a grin.

"Uh,.. listen Sasuke, I love Naruto as much as you do but Naruto Uchiha really doesn't sound all that good together. Besides, how are they going to know which one we're talking to?" she wondered but Sasuke simply just laughed.

"Let me rephrase that. Naruto is more to me than the number one hyperactive knuckleheaded ninja. He's the only one in squad seven who never doubted me for a second. He saved me and he saved my daughter and he never gave up no matter how many times that I told him that he should. For that reason he is my true hero. And for that reason I do believe that's what we should name our son." He told her.

"Oh I get it." Sakura began with a grin. "Hiro. I think that's a perfect name for him and it's very touching that you would want to give him that name for that reason. And I think that Naruto will be too once you tell him." She said.

"Are you kidding me!? I'm not going to tell him. I'd never hear the end of it." He told her as Sakura giggled.

"Oh Sasuke, what am I going to do with you?" she questioned him as he smiled at her before they exchanged a kiss on the lips.

 _….._

Sasuke heaved a deep and heavy sigh while staring down at Kakashi's grave. That's when all of a sudden he heard a car door slam behind him and quickly turned his head to see Naruto walking down the street. "Hey buddy what are you doing here? I thought that you would still be at the hospital with Sakura." He told him.

"I know, but I had a lot on my mind. We were some team weren't we?" Sasuke questioned him with a grin.

"Yeah, we were. Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha saved the day again!" Naruto exclaimed with an excited little giggle and great big shinning grin as Sasuke smiled at him.

"I just wish that Kakashi would have seen it. I think that he would have been proud of us." He said.

"You know Sasuke,.. I think he did." Naruto told him while Sasuke grabbed onto his cross necklace again.

"You know what? I love you you idiot." He told him teasingly with a grin.

"I love you too you bastard." Naruto told him as Sasuke laughed. "Wow, we sure do have a rather strange relationship don't we?" he questioned him.

"Yeah, but I wouldn't change it for the world." Sasuke told him. "Come on Naruto, let's go home." He said as he put a brotherly arm around him and led him away.

So that's the story of how it happened. The story of our first adventure as a family. Iruka-sensei was so impressed with how advanced my ninja skills were that I graduated my first year at the academy. Sasame glanced inside her bedroom mirror and smiled proudly at her reflection while she tied her new headband around the lower half of her shoulder. Then she quickly hurried down the stairs two at a time and waved to her parents over her shoulder. "See you guys later, I've got a mission to complete!" she exclaimed.

Sasuke and Sakura looked up at her from the couch and smiled while Sakura held Hiro inside her arms and breastfed him. "Alright, have fun see you later Sasame!" she cried as she hurried out the door.

You see that year I learned something very important. It doesn't matter how many mistakes you make. There are some things that are a lot more important than that. Just like the friendship that my father has with Uncle Naruto, and the love that both of my parents have for each other. If it really is strong enough, then nothing can overpower it. Sasame raced along the ground before she finally stopped in front of Boruto and Himawari and their new sensei.

"Hey Sasame, are you ready to go?" Boruto questioned her.

"You bet! I was born ready!" she exclaimed before all four of them started racing through the woods together before leaping through the tree branches.

Everyone is in charge of their own destiny and I already know that mine is saving the world and kicking butt! Sasame stopped on top of a tree and placed her hands upon her hips while grinning proudly and looking over the hidden leaf village and the carvings of all the hokages including Naruto just hoping that one day, she would be up there as well.


End file.
